Dana Zed, the De Young's first artist-in-residence for 2012, is an exemplar of John Buchanan's populist approach of bringing art to the people and pulling down the walls between artist and the public.
Using a kiosk of double sided mirrors, visitors to the gallery space are encouraged to sit and draw their own portraits with the iPads provided by the museum.
The pieces are then put up on the walls and projected in a couple of screens placed around the space. None of the drawings could be considered a traditional portrait. But seen as a way to get past our avoidance of looking at ourselves and some of our negative judgments about how we look, they make a wonderful commentary on how much joy art and making art can create.
On the afternoon that I visited, the studio was humming quietly with purposeful activity. I had time to sit on her comfortable couch and get my portrait done. The solar glass lanterns hanging against the outside window cast a cheerful glow on a relaxing conversation. She told me that "our attitude changes when we can take the time to look, really look." Her zen beliefs are mirrored in her comment that drawing yourself puts you on the moment.
I was privileged to have her draw me - what came across was quirky, minimalist, and distinctly not flattering. Yet I'd like to think she caught some the "real" Nancy, in spite of the white hair and chubby face.
Draw or be drawn into Dana Zed’s world of mirrors and reflection in the Kimball Education Gallery, Wednesdays–Sundays, 1:00–5:00 p.m. through January 29.
Dana Zed at the de Young through January: http://deyoung.famsf.org/blog/january-artist-residence-dana-zed
Website: http://www.danazed.com/danazed.com/Main_Launch.html
Claire Pasquier, now showing at the SF MOMA Artist's Gallery, takes a more traditional approach to portraiture and infuses it with new life. It's difficult to get beyond the stereotyped techniques of Art 101 and give new meaning to an old technique. But Ms. Pasquier has succeeded in creating insightful and charming portraits, always against a background of their own choosing
"San Francisco is a small-big city, where people from all over the world seem to crisscross. The idea of this project came to me in Paris after I opened my workshop gallery. The window overlooked a tiny busy street. I watched all the people go by but never stop; it was like the halls in the metro. I felt the need to communicate with all these people and break the protective and indifferent walls that we build when we live in big cities."
The portraits are now exhibited at the Artists Gallery at Ft. Mason, along with the work station where Pasquier painted over 100 portraits.
Source: http://www.sfmoma.org/exhib_events/events/2009#ixzz1k2Vy0UTu
If you want to be cheered up, go to Byron Spicer's exhibit at the Market Street Gallery. a colorful, happy collection of smiles of all shapes and sizes, which inspires joy from those who observe the works.
"So I invite you to take some time to seriously consider your own joy, both on the surface of things and the joy that holds the world together. Delight in the combinations of colors, imperfect line, and quirky smiles. Find that face with the glint in the eyes. Relish all the imperfections. You are here, right now. And if you are feeling it go back out there and do what most needs to be done with a little skip in your step."
The exhibit runs through March 2, 2012.
The artist reception will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2012,
from 6 PM - 8 PM.
http://www.marketstreetgallery.com/
Comments