Objects of Desire at Eclipse Mill Gallery
Larry Alice and Joan Kiley Paired In Evocative Exhibition
By: Charles Giuliano - Jul 03, 2018
The special exhibition Objects of Desire pairs whimsical narrative paintings by Joan Kiley with relief sculpture and polychromed assemblages by Larry Alice. There is a confluence and empathy of fantasy and the surreal in work that will be on view in the Eclipse Mill, 243 Union Street, from Friday, June 29 through Sunday, July 29.
There will be a reception for the artists on Friday, July 6, from 6 to 8pm. It is free and open to the public. They have been residents in the artist/ loft building from its inception. This is the first time they have been paired in the spacious Eclipse Gallery.
The initial impact of this unique installation is its deceptive disparity. There are obvious differences between sculpture and painting. Some of the sculptures are large and somewhat creepy. There are references to skeletal remains, necromancy, and the dark arts. Alice is as much conjurer and shaman as artist.
The few impactful sculptures in aspects of relief contrast to Kiley’s broad bands of small, brightly painted, intricate works. They range from surreal figuration to the auras of patterns associated with the later paintings of Vincent van Gogh. One should take time to connect with the many references and sources for these intense and engaging, intimate paintings.
The artist Joan Kiley is a graduate of Mass College of Art where she studied painting and graphic art. The exhibition presents new works. They may surprise and shock some viewers.
“My paintings are images of feelings about laughter at sex and our bodies,” she states. “We want to show a sexy shape, in form and size, it doesn’t matter the look, just the feeling. The vases also support something, water, flowers, and pencils. In my youth, I was a floral designer for 30 years, and feel that these small paintings are a natural outgrowth of that profession. I have always loved color, image and abstraction, in other words I love it all.
“The abstract pieces convey my love of flowing water, the essence of life, and of repetition. They are simple iconic signs which give meaning to my art.”
Trained as an engineer Larry Alice likes to explore materials and process that ranges from paintings to sculpture and assemblages. There is always surprise encountering new work which, this time, explores Gothic themes.
“This latest work was inspired by Mary Shelley’s novel ‘Frankenstein,’ Alice explains. “At the end of the book the monster is left without a mate. I take the monster’s point of view as he tries to create a mate/bride for himself. The work is made from the natural materials he would find, like plaster and sticks and paint.”
There will be an interesting and empathetic segue to the strong sense of fantasy and the supernatural in the next Eclipse exhibition. The couple Wayne Hopkins and Cathy Wysocki will have work on view from July 31 through September 3. There will be a reception on August 3.
There will be a curated, fiber themed show. An opening reception will occur on September 7 and the show will run through October 8.
The annual Open Studios event will feature a reception on Friday, October 12. A selection of Eclipse Mill artists will show work in the gallery as well as in their studios. This is a popular weekend long event. The exhibition will remain on view through November 5.
The season ends with Amigos: Charles Giuliano, Robert Henriquez and David Zaig. These artist friends will be showing together for the first time. There will be an opening reception on Friday, November 9. The exhibition will run through December 9