Question of West Coast distinction

The West Coast, and its distinct culture in film and music, may also be developing its own distinct brand of artwork.

To examine whether West Coast art has undergone Californication, the basement of the Center for Arts now features the art show "Pacifications: New West Coast Art," showcasing a number of artists' works from the Golden State.

One such piece is of a cryptic horizontal fish-people, featured in Attaboy's "The Fungus Series." The festering eyes of these creatures burn the image into your eyes and suggest an aching presence of overlooked devastation.

Attaboy's scrappy ink drawings are muted by messages tucked into the paintings such as "enough small talk" and "my ears droop for you."

Although words and images often co-conspire, Attaboy's inclusion of dictum seems to defeat the purpose of representing ideas through drawings.

Kirstin Sturdivan, the curator of "Pacifications" and student of fine arts at UB, describes Attaboy's artwork as graffiti-driven.

"West Coast art is a little looser," she said. "It's a more fun, comic-book-derived art."

Yet, when asked to distinguish the ultimate difference between West Coast and East Coast art, she couldn't.

"I just wanted to open up the conversation," she said. "This exhibit is supposed to investigate the difference between West Coast and East Coast art without intending to give away the answer."

"Letter to Myself" by Richard Sturdivan also features written words, this time scrolled atop a piece of synthesized loose-leaf paper. He frames a letter that commits suicide half way through by drowning itself in a mess of blotchy black ink, reminding the viewer that letters written to one's self are never completely accessible.

Despite geographic differences, every exhibition has its baffling pieces. "Das Bagel" by James Martin hosts a tea party for the absurd. A gouache painting, done in putrid colors, depicts a clown on a scooter zooming by a placid table set with a dead fish, a bagel, and some flowers.

"It is a very painter-heavy show," Kirstin Sturdivan said.

Few shows in the CFA basement gallery concentrate on painting, and even though "Pacifications" may focus on one medium, it is by no means a bland exhibit.

"Indications" by Lynne Saad demonstrates the diverse application of the brush by stitching together metal plates smothered in paint. Each plate has something different to show - a martini glass, a mannequin's torso, a rocking chair, an overcoat - all of which mimic the postmodernist's version of quilting.

Janice Tatro's "Red," is a digital print of sharp geometry and brilliantly colored flowers, definitely posh enough to be hung in a coffee shop.

The majority of the pieces exert a youthful sauciness, yet "Border Crossing" by Paul Davidson and "Shine Man" by Judith Jarko hold a more somber interest in social commentary. "Border Crossing" is a blurry painting of two Mexican men trudging along with convenience store bags weighing down each arm. The pallid desert colors give the painting a tone of exhaustion and desolation.

"Shine Man," serves as an unintentional memorial to New Orleans. An African-American man shines shoes on the sunny side of Burbon St. Although shoe shining is a tiresome endeavor, the endearing portrayal of poverty reinforces the recently resurrected social issue concerning unequal distribution of wealth between races.

There is no strong gesture from West Coast art that can be detected within this show, other than the semblance of fairly youthful and mischievous pieces. Though, playful pieces are readily found in Buffalo as well.

The "Pacifications: New West Coast Art" exhibition is running through Oct. 14 in the CFA basement gallery.