MICHAEL ROSENTHAL - ROOT DIVISION - PHOTO EPICENTER
2ND FLOOR PROJECTS - GALLERY THREE
02.14.09
(with assistance from R.W. Miller)

Michael Rosenthal Gallery: Inga Dorosz - (Morse Code Land) - .-.. .- -. -.. .

Review by R.W. Miller: Here one will find a minimally rendered presentation of the beauty of the mountains. In thin lines with no color Inga Dorosz captures the wonder of the great outdoors. The images, like the mountains they represent, are towering and uplifting. One can see the geologic layers of time, and the wonder of the gorgeous mountain peaks. These emotive images also make one miss the snow. Breathe in the cool fresh air.

Comment by AB: The title of the slow is how the word "land" is spelled in Morse Code. And that's appropriate because Inga Dorosz's semi-representational mountainscape drawings are composed of multiple fields of finely delineated parallel pencil or ink lines and dashes. She tops it all off with several plaster casts of cow pies. Yummy.

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Root Division: Museum of Broken Relationships.

Comment by AB: The Museum of Broken Relationships, brainchild of Croatian artists Olinka Vistica and Drazen Grubisic, commemorates those intimate pairings that simply were not meant to be. So the deal is that when your partner splits or you dump your partner, somebody always leaves something behind at the other person's place, or maybe a particular possession of yours reminds you of the romance of the relationship in better days. These sorts of anthropological artifacts are here glorified on gallery walls and pedestals along with text explaining their symbolic meanings. Surprisingly good show-- and perfect for Valentine's Day. It's currently traveling the world with this San Francisco stint coming in between the Singapore and Stockholm exhibitions.

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Photo Epicenter: ART 4 SALE - BIGTIME.

Comment by AB: Abundant artists donate overflowing cornucopias of art for this Hamburger Eyes / Photo Epicenter fundraiser-- their first ever. The good news? Tons of paintings, drawings, zines, T-shirts, and photos for sale cheap cheap CHEAP. Yes my darling artsters-- some of the best bargains I've seen in a while. The early birds score sweet tonight. But wait. Who knows? There may still be gems left even now. Drop 'em an email or stop on by. Did I remember to say prices are cheap? Oh... yeah. I guess I did.

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[2nd floor projects]: Curt McDowell - an uneven dozen broken hearts.

Comment by AB: Underground filmmaker and former SFAI alumnus Curt McDowell passed away in 1987. He has over thirty films to his credit, but he also wrote screenplays, designed sets and costumes, and... he was a pretty good artist. Tonight we see a selection of his art, some of which hasn't been seen in public for forty years, and all courtesy of his sister Melinda McDowell. Fun stuff, and a colorful look back at life in a different era.

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Gallery Three: Lisa Mei Ling Fong - Encompass, The Story of My Return Home.

Comment by AB: Lisa Mei Ling Fong calls her object-chocked shadow boxes "Introversion Boxes." Her intriguing aggregations and arrangements represent her efforts to explore sequences of events, life's adventures, personal growth, setbacks, hardships, and the evolution of history.

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