OAKLAND ART MURMUR

CHANDRA CERRITO - JOHANSSON - SLATE

MERCURY TWENTY - VESSEL - SPOKE ART

10.05.12

Reported by Brandi Lee



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Chandra Cerrito Contemporary: Ghost - Holly Williams; Datelines - Donna Anderson Kam.

Review and images by Brandi Lee: Cleverly curated, Chandra Cerrito Contemporary offers two artists who use cinematic, photographic and journalistic references to create original two-dimensional pieces. Holly Williams' atmospheric oil paintings are vaguely familiar, allowing the viewer to finish the narrative. The artist often uses stills from movie and vintage photographs as starting points followed by extensive digital manipulations, eventually making the images her own then translating them into paintings. Donna Andersen Kam uses bright colors to convey her interpretations of how the events in news articles unfolded. The sometimes somber content of her paintings often contradicts her use of normally 'cheerful' colors, adding to their interest.

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Johansson Projects: Back Domain - Misako Inaoka.

Review and images by Brandi Lee: Misako Inaoka's solo show at Johannson Projects is filled with meticulously crafted sculptures in a plethora of species, scale and substance. "Rorschach" is a sculpture obviously inspired by two animal hindquarters merging, but is also an adept three-dimensional version of an actual Rorschach ink blot. The felt-covered form invits the viewer closer and is tempting to touch, while the warm smooth accent of wood pleasantly contrasts the cool dark fabric. This show is like entering a quirky alternate universe where evolution went awry.

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Mercury Twenty Gallery: Jill McLennan - Glimmer in the Grit.

Review and images by Brandi Lee: Jill McLennan's art calls attention to aspects of society we often overlook. Industrial decay and graffiti are presented alongside images of rebuilding and of the children of Oakland to prompt conversation about what we often choose to ignore. McLennan's work asks us where we are going as a society and what the future is going to be like. As serious as her content is, her work is still whimsical and vibrant, no doubt relying on her experience as an educator to effectively communicate her message on an immediately relatable level.

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Slate Contemporary: Barely There - When Less is More.

Artists: Joanne Fox, Caroline Seckinger, Brian Mancl, Rachel Dawson, Pouké Halpern, Michelle Lynn Dyrness, Jonah Burlingame.

Review and images by Brandi Lee: There is an urgency Joanne Fox's paint application that is nicely balanced by the subtleties in the texture which combine to invite the viewer in. The aggressive architectural lines suggest urban environment, and one can almost hear the sirens, horns and construction equipment while standing in front of her work.

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Vessel Gallery: Manifold - John Ruszel and Joanne Hashitani.

Review and images by Brandi Lee: Vessel Gallery Curator, Lonnie Lee, presents two artists whose work is as intricate is it is stunning. The organic string and wood sculptures of John Maszel invoke images of the tension in spans of bridges, geometric shapes and architectural wonders. In contrast, Joanne Hashitani's synthetic sculptures are inspired by statistics of the Oakland Athletic's baseball team. Even though the two bodies of work are starkly different in concept and medium, they seem to speak to each other. Repetitive patterns, tautness, painstakingly executed detail, and a visual elegance are but a few of the qualities that unify the dual solo shows.

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Spoke Art, Oakland: Scott Hove.

Review and images by Brandi Lee: If you've never seen Scott Hove's work before, you're in for a treat. The confectionary delicacies Scott whips up are anything but sugary sweet. Although many of the traditional dessert toppings are present, a closer look reveals a sinister side to these creations. Doll faces, wolves' fangs, and horns are but a few jarring surprises baked inside these frosted forms.

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Oakland Art Murmur:

Review and images by Brandi Lee: Oakland Art Murmur seems to be growing every month. In the biggest turnout yet, Telegraph Avenue is shut down for several blocks allowing vendors to set up tents, build stages, and provide food trucks to satisfy hungry art patrons. Saying there is a steady stream of visitors at every gallery is an understatement. Literally thousands of people wander up and down the streets and in and out of the galleries in this condensed art area. I literally have to wait several minutes to even get in the door of a few galleries. Art Murmur has an electric atmosphere which compliments the wide array of art.

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