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I went to the Contemporary Arts Museum today to see
the exhibit. Sidra went with me. I went to this exhibit due to the fact that my writer and friend Jamie Coville contributed to the exhibit by making a timeline of comic art. To my surprise, the timeline
wasn't part of the exhibit. I only found it in the $25 book that was sold in the gift shop about the exhibit.
Silly me, I would have thought that the timeline would have enhanced the exhibit, but what do I know.
It was a pretty cool exhibit, seeing how comics
have influenced "low art." Low art it is, for our
comic artists are much better. The theme seemed to
be how artists used comic art to display
stereotypes, and to make social commentary on
stereotypes. Racial oppression was another major theme.
I personally enjoyed the Andy Warhol piece and
some of the other painted art, but frankly, they
should have had Cory Carani, Alex Ross, and some
others who can REALLY paint exhibiting. A couple
of the artists seemed to be ripping off ideas and
styles from Peter Bagge and Joe Sacco, also with
other Fantagraphic influences, which I thought was
damned funny.
I went home and went over the exhibit again, and all it's various comic influences. The question that kept coming to my mind was "swipe or homage?" It wasn't at all clear on further reflection, and it made me think. Good art exhibits make you think, and this one did, no matter what my initial impressions. It might actually be a real tribute to comic art, no matter what I think, and any museum that actually puts together a program on comic influenced art, no matter how it's connected to the source materiel, should be commended.
It was an interesting exhibit, and
It was FREE. Which is why I will encourage my
reading audience to go see it if it comes to their
town. This exhibit is supposed to travel to other parts of the US after it closes here.
Be on the lookout for it, and be sure to buy the book with Jamie's detailed timeline.
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