“A Scrutiny Mutiny”
The “A Scrutiny Mutiny” opening reception at The Hook Experiment was a burst of joyful energy with many of the participating artist in attendance. I enjoyed the chance to meet several artists, whose artwork I am just discovering with this exhibition, and converse with them about how they approached the exhibition’s theme and size limitations. In this post I would like to highlight four artist participating in “A Scrutiny Mutiny”.
Phyllis Mayes
I met Phyllis early in the evening when we were both admiring Valetta’s Bustier Collage series. Phyllis has two works in the exhibition which depict themes of vulnerability, of suffering, and of physical and emotional pain, particularly shame, which I felt resonated with me. Phyllis spoke of approaching the exhibition with both courage and playfulness. I found that the tactile quality of wire and metal spikes in her art added to the experience of feeling this vulnerability when viewing the work in person. Discussing the art with Phyllis helped feel the source of the depicted playfulness in her spirit.
Mia Fabrizio
Dressed in a beautiful, autumnal yellow dress, Mia’s smile and welcoming presence was as warm as her enthusiasm was contagious. Her installation Privilege, Pride, and Prejudice by contrast, felt cold, heavy, and made one a little leery of the three plaster cubes hanging from the ceiling. Two bar stools were placed beneath the three cubes for those inclined to have the full experience of the artwork.
Mia shared how the exhibition’s size constraint of 10X10X10 inches initially felt overly restrictive to her as she usually does not create art in this relatively small size. I really enjoyed hearing her describe, with much gusto, her creative response to this challenge. Privilege, Pride, and Prejudice demonstrates Mia’s creativity when confronted with constraints, rather those of the title or of a gallery. (Picture below by Mia Fabrizio)
Toward the end of the opening night I had the good fortune to find myself seated next to two more artists with works in the exhibition: Rachel and Diane.
Rachel Romano
Rachel Romano’s work stood out with a style which suggested a whole world created by the artist. I admire her marvelous drawing skill (image below by Rachel Romano). Rachel mentioned that she started painting about 10 years ago which I found somewhat surprising only because her paintings feel like the mature work of one who has been painting her whole life. Coming to painting later in life I found this very encouraging even as I continue to be amazed and dazzled by how her works suggest an entire world the viewer could step into and be transported to another place full of whimsy and beautiful colors. I just love how fully Rachel’s imagination fills the canvas in her paintings.
Diane Cirafesi
Even before meeting Diane I was attracted to her paintings by the simple yet elegant lines and color. Her art skillfully conveys the strong message of their titles: Oppression, Trampled Rights, and Democracy Pietà. Although the images in the artworks Diane has in the exhibition feel unsettling I also found myself strengthened by her resolve to confront injustices and “to expose truth to inequity, to the sacred, to the profane, to the personal, and to the external politic”, to quote from her artist statement.
https://phyllismayes.com/index.html
https://miafabrizio.squarespace.com
https://www.rachelromanofineart.com