GALEX 41: Is
it national?
By Paulette
Thenhaus
IÕm starting with
the basic information about this yearÕs 41st GALEX. The GALEX is billed as a
National Competition/ Exhibition, yet 21 of the 38 works selected to
participate are from Illinois. In fact three award winners are from Galesburg,
while a fourth is from neighboring Monmouth. Of course this is probably all
coincidence, but did I mention the juror, Jeremy Long, now teaching at the
American Academy of Art in Chicago, was recently a resident artist at Knox
College? A few years back when there was a California juror — Voila!
— entries arrived from the West Coast and got awards. About a decade ago
a Chicago gallery owner/juror encouraged his stable of artists to enter. No
surprise where the awards went. It is one way to get fresh art into town, if
the prospectus mailing fails in recruiting out of state artists.
Perhaps the
biggest surprise this year was the fact that there is only one sculpture. One.
ÒOne Thing Leads to Another,Ó by Galesburg sculptor Robert J. Reed, got the
Sculpture Award hands down. Another first in 41 years is the granting of Kent
Leasure Memorial Fine Print Award to a photograph, ÒGibson Woods,Ó by John
Vellenga. The ÒFine PrintÓ award has originally and always been reserved for
prints on paper, such as lithographs, serigraphs, etchings, etc. Never for
photographs. Of course, back when it was established, digital ÒprintsÓ werenÕt
even a question. (Hope nobodyÕs rolling in their grave over this one.)
I donÕt have much
to write about the exhibit because IÕve seen much of it before. Four of the
award-winners IÕve seen in other area exhibits that IÕve reviewed at length
already. As a whole, all of the work is technically proficient and
accomplished. No innovations or wild paint here. In a way it has a Òback to the
basicsÓ sensibility that Midwestern art is known for (but remember, this is
supposed to be a national show).
Looking at the
jurorÕs statement doesnÕt really assist in understanding his choices. It reads
like a dogma against contemporary art. Out of about 200 words, only about
fifteen are directed toward the artworks at hand and none mention a specific
piece. The single sentence reads: ÒThe work selected for this yearÕs GALEX
juried exhibition makes serious attempts at being truly original and thought
provoking work full of metaphoric content.ÓÕ I myself need help with the
Òmetaphoric content,Ó especially in the Grand Award winnerÕs brown and green painting
of a monster plant overtaking what I guess is a studio. It is academic and, at
worst, banal. There are several other works that merit this response, but let
the viewer decide.
On the other
hand, California artist Siddharth ParasnisÕ ÒMidwestÓ is a lustrous small gem
of a painting. Space is defined by thick slabs of paint in brick red, cobalt
and yellow ochre. Ragged edges of paint effectively convey fading and peeling.
ÒMidwestÓ is representational of lots and vacant brick buildings everywhere in
the Midwest, yet it is highly abstract in its structure. If this is what Jeremy
Long means by Òtruly original and thought provokingÓ than we agree on this one.
It received the Purchase Award.
GALEX 41 is on view at the Galesburg
Civic Art Center, 114 E. Main St., through April 7th.
3/22/07