Deciphering Mixed Messages in Mixed Media
Works by Stan Squirewell, Wesley Clark, Miles Bumbray, and Ellington Robinson
Praise Song by Wesley Clark
Show dates. October 7–November 4, 2009 Opening reception. October 10, 6.30 - 9pm
International Visions Gallery will host a conversation between artworks created by four D.C. –based artists on the topic of message conveyance in visual language. Although the artists approach visual communication from different angles, the works of Stan Squirewell, Wesley Clark, Miles Bumbray, and Ellington Robinson meet at the intersection of linguistics, symbology, politics, and popular culture.
Stan Squirewell pushes digital media forward while staying rooted in cultural contributions from the African Diaspora, creating a vocabulary that fuses ancient forms and spiritual symbols with contemporary technology to positively envision the future. His recent works bind the virtual world with physical reality, as he paints directly onto printed images, illustrating the travels of a personal spiritual journey. Squirewell is internationally recognized as a “pioneer using video, photography, and illustration software to investigate new directions in the image/narrative complex.”
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Wesley Clark paints spectacular visions of a timeless dimension, where the voices of wisdom come from children. His figures become silhouettes amidst a universe of texts and symbols, where air and space become solid ground underfoot. Within Clark’s universes, children are the storytellers and into their silhouette, viewers can bring their own experiences and return to the innocence of childhood.
Artist Miles Bumbray animates his commentary with radiant neon hues. His handwritten notes overtake images of pop culture icons, outing publicity stunts and political acrobatics of those in the spotlight. His digital montages cause one to reevaluate the symbols that carry hyper-masculine and materialistic undercurrents in the entertainment industry. Bumbray is agile in his use of sculpture, photography, and graphic illustration to spark discussion on pressing issues.
The work of Ellington Robinson infuses the aesthetics and experiences of the hip-hop generation with a strong and humble sense of history. His visually aggressive assemblages, created with materials like cassette tapes and boxing memorabilia, strike a balance between tension and fusion. The works challenge the viewer with the confrontation and assimilation of symbols, warping past times in order to see the future abstractly.
