Eclectix Arts: Jonathan Darby and Adam Caldwell at White Walls

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Jonathan Darby and Adam Caldwell at White Walls

Jonathan Darby

Dropped in to see the "Intersection" show at White Walls gallery, a moving and politically charged look at two very different yet similar social realities.

In the front half of the gallery, Adam Caldwell's work takes a colder, calculated look at American lifestyles and advertising, juxtaposing it with images of poverty. Some famous images are painted in, advertising slogans and female models, symbolic monuments and world landmarks.

Adam Caldwell

This painted transition wall (above) between the two bodies of work was painted by Adam, really loved the looseness and Depression era feel. Simpler than his canvases yet just as moving, if not more so.

Jonathan Darby

Detail from above piece

In contrast - Jonathan Darby's works focus on the poverty and humanity of the street children living in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The artist has built a very involved "shanty town" in which to display his works, dark and tucked away in "alleys", in the back half of the gallery. This was a very moving installation and group of paintings, beautifully rendered faces, heart breaking in their plight - with lots of textural elements and found objects. Children's laundry was strung up on clotheslines in between worn plywood walls and broken windows. Then a huge beautifully somber, child's face peering at you from the dark, with collaged photos and symbolic advertising clips layered in. From the artists statement:

"Some of the children that have been painted in this show have lived and perished in extremely violent circumstances. Roney was one of them. All proceeds from the 'Roney, 2008" print run will be donated to the Children at Risk Foundation, CARF."