s'LOTTERY!
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Random selection makes up exhibit
By Glenn McNatt, Sun Art Critic
An apparently irresistible urge to immediately exhibit every sketch, doodle, pencil smudge and curlicue that pop into an artist's brain seems epidemic in Baltimore, which may or may not be a good thing. Consider s'Lottery, the current show at Maryland Art Place that runs through Feb. 7. The exhibition presents works by 15 artists chosen at random without, the organizers proclaim, benefit of "selection panels, jurors, curators, rules, regulations or restrictions."
What is amazing about this experiment in democracy is how well it seems to work despite some uneven patches. Each of the artists, who range from students to mid-career pros, was given about 200 square feet of wall space - also allotted at random - and simply told to have at it.
The result is a testament to the rich vein of talent that runs through this town at all levels. Some of the most arresting pieces in the exhibition include a series of graphic, theater-of-cruelty drawings by Shannon Oliverio; autobiographical panel paintings by Angela Wheeler; highly enigmatic but expressive abstract oils-on-canvas by Julianna Dail and exuberantly over-the-top, soft-porn fantasies by photographer Sam Holden.
I was also struck by Margaret Boozer's quiet, meditative sculpture of found objects - a dead tree limb perfectly inscribed within the circle of an antique wagon wheel - which made as profound a statement about the transient character of existence as any philosopher's tome.
Not all the pieces worked as well, however, especially those by some of the beginners, whose offerings were in many cases - well, jejune. Which raises a question: Should the opportunity to exhibit, even before one is completely ready, outweigh the risks of premature public exposure?
The issue relates not just to the unevenness that results from lumping together artists of varying levels of experience - which might not necessarily bother viewers - but to the future prospects of the younger artists.
There's a danger that showing too soon, and being congratulated for it, could stunt artistic development, as the artist focuses not on further creative growth but on repackaging a formula for adulation and short-term ego gratification. This is a hazard that, it seems to me, too often is underestimated by both artists and curators.
Lotteries are great, be the prize instant money or fame. And it can be terribly hard for artists to turn down an opportunity to exhibit, no matter how unwise.
But as in all serious matters, there really are no shortcuts - and what looks like a fantastic break might be only an illusion of success. Mastering the discipline of patience ought to be as important as the training of young artists as learning to draw or paint.
The gallery is at 8 Market Place, Suite 100, in the Port Discovery Plaza. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Call 410-962-8565 or visit www.mdart place.org.
