In its latest effort, the UB Anderson Gallery has put together an exhibit devoted to the most recent work of celebrated artist Enrique Chagoya.
???Enrique Chagoya: Adventures and Misadventures, Prints and Multiples 2002-2008 is set to run at the gallery, located at One Martha Jackson Place in Buffalo, through April 26, with a special lecture from Chagoya on April 9. The gallery consists of 15 prints the artist has released over the last six years, documenting his unique vision of the rapidly changing cultural world in the aftermath of the new millennium and the Bush administration.
???Chagoya's work has been displayed in prestigious galleries, ranging from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. UB's Anderson Gallery only furthers the distinction of his career.
???The pieces in this exhibition address the overlapping themes of the mythic, the bizarre and the obscure. Chagoya's perceptions are truly one of a kind, with a stunning array of images, colors and cultural symbols arranged accordingly in each print. Homage to Andy Warhol is also paid, one piece in the gallery portraying the classic Campbell's soup can setup, with a stunning Chagoyian twist.
???Chagoya is also unafraid to tackle political issues. War, poverty, immigration, assimilation, multiculturalism and globalization are all fiercely illustrated in a fashion that can best be described as "cartoon macabre." Notable pieces include "Homage to Goya: The Disasters of War" and "Ghost of Liberty," a 2004 piece severely criticizing the Iraq war and the Bush administration.
???Another noteworthy piece includes "Misadventures of the Romantic Cannibals," a 2003 piece which spectacularly plays on dozens of fictional, religious and cultural references, most notably a hilariously sacrilegious portrayal of Jesus Christ.
???It is almost impossible not to take something away from a gallery such as this. Chagoya's vision screams out of every symbol, color, line and texture.
???Viewers are privileged to see the world through his eyes, with all its violence, anger, resentment and unmediated joy at such artistic triumph. Religion, politics and the state of culture itself are fearlessly brought to light in a humorous and fiercely impassioned fashion.
???There is a lot to be absorbed and appreciated in a show such as this one. The Anderson Gallery, as expected, has once again delivered a gallery small in stature while speaking huge volumes. Chagoya's work shows us that free speech and personal expression are both alive and well.
???All interested in the career and creativity of a truly one of a kind man are encouraged to attend, absorb and enjoy the work of an artist whose legacy continues to thrive.
???Chagoya received his BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and his MFA from the University of California at Berkeley. He is currently a professor of art and art history at Stanford University.
