Vocabularies of Metaphor

Featuring works by: Amy Cutler, Henry Darger, Seonna Hong, Baseera Khan, Fay Ku, Crystal Liu, Ruth Marten, Rob Matthews, Liliana Porter, Charlotte Schulz, Shahzia Sikander, Sara Stites, Rachell Sumpter, Yelena Yemchuk, and Yuka Yamaguchi.

Hosfelt Gallery
San Francisco, CA
6 September – 18 October 2008

by Tonya Warner

Works on paper by 15 artists fill the generously large Hosfelt Gallery space, providing points of wonder that function as windows into the psyche. The press release states that the theme of this large group show is the exploration of “narrative through symbolic vernacular,” an idea which is here well executed. What impressed itself most in this exhibition was a focus on narrative, draftsmanship, and the surreal. Each of these artists provide, in their own way, a contemporary exploration of the subconscious and other-worldly states.

Highlights include Liliana Porter, who creates simple gestures employing lines and miniature three-dimensional figures. Ruth Marten provides seamlessly executed collages with vintage nature illustrations. Her “Salon Des Chics” adorns birds with fanciful hats in a play on words that also belies whimsies of the imagination. Yelena Yemchuk, on the other hand, creates large compositions of somewhat grotesque figures that seem to provide a modern rethinking of Hieronymus Bosch. Focusing on narrative, Seonna Hong presents a series which is painted and drawn on stacked semi-translucent pages. The levels of varying visibility, recounting a tale of girls and bears in the forest, gives the various scenes marked dream-like qualities. Finally, there is Yuka Yamaguchi, whose drawings appear cute from a distance, but reveal themselves to hold dark symbolism upon closer inspection.

In addition to a focus on the surreal, there also seems to be quite a bit of references to a sort of girlish cuteness. This preciousness is always employed to be subverted – what a better way to explore symbolic metaphor than to present figures who are not what they seem. The works in this show were well chosen for their fine executions and abilities to create their own worlds that are somehow harmonious with one another – creating one giant demented fairytale dimension that truly only residents within our own minds.

http://www.hosfeltgallery.com/HTML/exhibitions.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Darger
http://www.seonnahong.com/
http://www.baseerakhan.com/
http://www.fayku.com/
http://www.ruthmarten.com/
http://www.matthewstheyounger.com/
http://www.charlotteschulz.com/
http://www.shahziasikander.com/
http://www.sarastites.com/
http://www.rachellsumpter.com/
http://www.yelenayemchuk.com/
http://www.plastiquemonkey.com/