Some quick art history:

I know that you are all familiar with “that painting with the melting clocks”, right?  That, and many other works by Salvador Dali are almost as ubiquitous as cell phones.  Some of you may know that Dali’s main affiliation was with the Surrealists.  Surrealism was an artistic movement that began in Paris in the 1920‘s lead by the writer Andre Breton. He even wrote a Surrealist Manifesto in 1924.  The long list of artists associated with this movement crosses all genres of the fine arts, and surrealist exhibitions were held well into the 50’s and 60’s in New York and Paris.  

The point to this is that the movement was more than just Dali’s floppy clocks, it was an intellectual and highly philosophical movement that spawned many other movements that continue to influence artists even today.  

This brings us back to the present, and to the work of local artist Benedict Oddi.  This week concludes his show "The Truth is Made" at the Modern Formations Gallery (4919 Penn Avenue) here in town.  Mr. Oddi holds a bachelor and masters degree in painting, having recently received his MFA from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  

Looking at Mr. Oddi’s paintings, one can see the influence of such artists as Yves Tanguy and Giorgio de Chirico (both affiliated with the surrealists).  His dreamlike landscapes have a feeling of being both familiar, and otherworldly. They engage on a level that keeps you guessing, while at the same time they make you feel some level of freedom or comfort. You can feel the weight of the ropes in the painting titled “F Your Sailboat”, yet at the same time the surrounding waves seem soft.  This gives the whole painting a simultaneous heavy and light sensation.  

This multi-faceted layering of visual reference can also be seen in the piece “Wage Labor”.  Various objects in the painting have shadows, giving them volume and shape.  At the same time however, the tracks and the rail cart are intentionally flat and two dimensional.  When you look at this, your interpretation might be very different from the artists interpretation, but that is part of the idea.  Enjoy these pieces by an up and coming local artist.  He has numerous examples on his website along with contact info if you have any questions or comments for him.

A few weeks ago I posted an interview with Luke and Eloy Gallery owner Brigitte Martin.     Last month I ventured back to Luke and Eloy to see an exhibition by the fibre/metal artist Michelle Pajak-Reynolds.  Mrs. Pajak-Reynolds specializes in what one might call “wearable sculpture”.  She makes colorful plant-like necklaces that flow like scarves, and delicate brooches that have very clever methods of hanging onto clothing.  

The show entitled “Evolution”, chronicles 10 years of work by the artist covering 3 periods of her career; the “Petal Series”, the Serendipity Series”, and the “Drawing Series”.  The gallery also has on display sketches and models giving a glimpse of the design process of Mrs. Pajak-Reynolds.  It runs until July 25th.  

The work of Mrs. Pajak-Reynolds can also be seen in books such as 500 Pendants and Lockets from Lark Books, and various fashion and design magazines including the cover of LA Brides Magazine (Spring/Summer ’04).

If you find yourself in Lawrenceville, stop into Luke and Eloy Gallery to see the first 10 years of a portfolio that is sure to continue to grow and evolve.

Too see the work of Michelle Pajak-Reynolds from the comfort of your computer chair, you have several options:

www.michellepajak.com

http://lukeandeloy.ning.com

http://crafthaus.ning.com/profile/MichellePajakReynolds

A giant speaker with motion sensors rests at the end of a rotating arm.  It tracks your movements and responds by emitting a distorted ripping sound.  If you try to move out of the direct path of the speaker, it continually moves to face you. This is a piece called “Spatial Sounds," an interactive installation by artists Marnix De Nijs and Edwin van der Heide, Part of the exhibit “Physical Conditions” at the Wood Street Galleries. 

In the past ten years, video and installation art have become a justifiable genre in art.  The use of computers, sensors, projectors, and other A/V equipment has enabled artists to approach sculpture in a completely new and exciting way.  

See a video of “Spatial Sounds” (warning: turn your volume down).

This kind of technologically advanced sculpture is often on display in exclusive art galleries and Museums such as the Guggenheim, but you can see it on your lunch break.  

Located above the Wood Street T station in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, the Wood Street Galleries (est. 1992) are a world class venue for cutting edge contemporary art.  The galleries are owned and operated by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.  It is easy enough to walk past since the entrance is a small elevator opposite the lobby of the T Station, but the gallery spaces are vast and admission is free.  

The current show “Physical Conditions” include work by the following artists: Henrik Menne, Marnix de Nijs, Donato Piccolo and Edwin van der Heide. 

Their pieces are meant to investigate the physicality of sensory experience.  

The hum of machinery welcomes you as you walk in to the gallery.  Several pieces by Henrik Menne dutifully perform their assigned tasks of dripping, blowing or spraying wax.  The subsequent buildup continually grows nearby.  

Like a combination of calculation and chance, each piece is both mechanical  and organic, rigorously dripping liquid wax to create a gradual accumulation of matter.  This continuous process enables the viewer to see the evolution of the sculpture while it is on display.  The other works on display also engage some level of interaction.  

The current show runs through Sept. 25. Gallery Hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.  You can see a live video feed of the gallery from a link on their website.