Figural Transitions: Masculinity from Realism to Allegory
Oct. 21 – Nov. 22, 2024
David Molesky at his studio in Wilson, North Carolina.
at Barton Art Galleries — Wilson, NC
Opening Reception: Thursday, Oct. 24, 5–7 PM
Gallery Talk: Thursday, Oct. 24, 6 PM
Coffee Talk: Wednesday, Oct. 30th, 4–6 PM
Workshops: Saturday, Oct. 26 & Nov. 2, 10 AM–4 PM
“Many of my earliest paintings were self portraits. I looked at my own figure, gesture, and body language for evidence of my thoughts and feelings. When I discovered that connection I expressed it through color and paint gestures. For the last couple decades, I have created narrative works inspired by dreams, memories, and direct observation. I start with my personal experience and strive for compositions that are universal. As the zeitgeist of figurative art has fixated on identities, I’ve found that representations of gender, race, and body type can be distracting. In 2014, I was struck by the idea to paint a banana as a stand-in for a human figure. A decade later, I’ve made it the focus of my work. Bananas are seemingly robust yet prone to bruising, just like men. Because of these aspects as well as the color and the shape of a banana, they are an apt symbol to explore ideas around masculinity.”
For additional information, contact the Barton Art Galleries at artgalleries@barton.edu or call 252-399-6476.