CRAIG KRULL GALLERY
Bergamot Station Santa Monica CA
Thru to January 11th, 2014
PHRANC : winter
PHRANC who is a multi disciplinary artist, singer, performer
& even a bit of a comic in many ways: lets just call her one
of Los Angeles' original entertainers. Currently showing at
the Craig Krull Gallery at Bergamot Station has a new series
of seasonally - in - tune - assemblage.
Phranc is and has been working with sewn sculpture for some
amount of years, utilizing paper, cardboard and bright acrylic
colors. This season, Phranc brings us a fun and straight ahead,
(excuse the term), floating object series of sculpture mounted
directly to the walls. With some allusions to Citizen Kane and
the ever famous final words of the fictionalized empiric news
man made famous by Orson Welles, wherein the search for the
meaning of the word ' ROSEBUD ' turns out to be a pet name for
his lover's, uh, favorite anatomical area, as it were. In the movie
version, the object in question turns out to be a snow sled.
Phranc has recreated the snow sled here, made of cardboard,
acrylic and sewn together in a matter of fact and simple style.
One is reminded of the early works of the artist Claes Oldenberg,
scaled down a bit. A clean and somewhat humorous take on the
idea of winter. There are ski pants, ski gloves, a ski jacket or
'Anorak' as the work is aptly titled. These are the type of works
that hang well in the home, family related works that could
easily be displayed with a more formal collection.
Our favorite is the afore mentioned, 'Girls Anorak' a light blue
jacket with bright red gloves. The works also include the ever
famous Red & Black lumberjack pendleton style shirt jack, worn
by Jack Kerouac and later by those tapping into a sort of symbol
of male-ish strength and rough and tumble warmth. In this
case, it is subverted or as the kids on the street say, '… flipped
the script…' to serve a whole other idea of what this symbolizes.
Also showing are a series of winter related paintings, wonderful
stocking stuffer sized works that relate the idyllic winter scenes,
a snow flake like variety, textural, quaint, collectibles that have
been lovingly painted and well curated to bring you a quiet, solace
and humorous christmas event. This is an understated & reserved
exhibition with a funny yet formalized vibe.
One could hear the jingle bells and had only to imagine for ourselves,
the meaning of those famous final words echoing softly from the lips
of the great director and actor Orson Welles, so famously spoken in
a simple hush tone: 'Rosebud'. As the final shot of the film displays
the sled being tossed into a furnace with many of the great collectors
objects. Phranc saves the sled from such destructive acts, preserving
this symbol, thus liberating the falsely accused so called ' witches '
that have been known to be demonized for simply being real and
liberated women.
Craig Krull represents a serious photography catalogue, but here,
he shows that humor, size & visceral choices of work as well as
assemblage artists are just as important in creating an effective
exhibition & collection as the fine art of photography. For collectors,
many of these works will be tempting for purchase, the snatch and
grab it size, the: 'Lets add that to our collection.' of it all. For viewers,
this exhibition is well worth a visit. We lingered a while, spoke to
Phranc and had a great little pre holiday party. Merry Christmas Everybody.
Plus : " A Little snow … "
Paintings by : Marc BOHNE, Ann LOFQUIST, Andrea PETERS,
Asrtid PRESTON, Pamela Kendall SCHIFFER and Nicole Strasburg
http://BUREAUofARTSandCULTURE.com
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