|
|
 |
 |
| Foad Mozaffari's A Straight Shooter |
| 4/4 by laura |
 |
You step into the gallery space expecting soft paintings and subtle documentaries and instead you meet with the solid, brash metal of a gun. The barrel glares at you, and between the lot of them collected in the center of the space, you are trapped; you're trapped in the center of a media circus.
Foad Mozaffari explores communication through different mediums and the truth that has been distorted by the media in association with our current state of politics. Guns, for example, were created for protection and a feeling of security, but through television, film and literature, have come to represent destruction. Their newly deemed functionality results in skipped heartbeats, shortness of breath or feelings of dread, at the very sight of the weapon, real or plastic. But, as Foad explains, certain objects have come to represent a society as a whole. "As a transnational artist, who identifies with Iranian and American culture, my works explore the process in which hybrid forms of cultural identities are created through media. With today's communication technologies, the ease of connectivity has created new forms of understanding and relationships amongst people, beyond their geographical location. I am interested in the contradictory notions of communication beyond borders, which on one hand and will lead to a unified understanding amongst people and on the other hand fragmentation of body and space where the local becomes invisible and marginalized," stated Foad.
It dwindles down to personal connection and the unwillingness of individuals to see beyond stereotypes and the inability to form judgments. This is a notion touched on by many artists, but Foad's transnational identity lends itself well to a new perspective, especially in the narrow minded realm of Buffalo. "Since today's culture is increasingly becoming accustomed to new communication technologies, I utilize the same technologies that are the main tools with which we experience the world to create my artwork," said Foad. "I use time based medium, remote communication and electronic media in order to create responsive installations."
Opening Reception April 5th, 8-11 PM
Big Orbit
Exhibit runs till April 19th
|
 |
|
 |
| Kathi Roussel Is No Stroussel |
| 4/3 by laura |
 |
I have long admired local jeweler Kathi Roussel - ever since my metalsmithing days at Buffalo State College - and have been planning to write about her since The Artery Magazine was born.
It's not only her abrupt and atmospheric style that I idolize, but also her strict dedication to her profession. Become a jeweler in Buffalo? Compete with Annie Adams? Why yes, please do. The difference between Kathi and the assembly line that is 810 Elmwood, is the meticulous construct and care that goes into every peice. Kathi isn't banking on one particular crowd pleaser mass produced time and time again, she seeks growth and opportunity in new materials and unique styles. Kathi not only survives as a jeweler in Buffalo, she thrives through hard work; she is one of the original members of Wild Things, co-own's Midtown's Kepa3 Gallery with Peter Fowler, is part of the Buffalo Arts Studios and creates ceramic sculpture that fills the pages of books across the nation. And draws and paints.
In one of her bios, Kathi states, "Ultimately, I think of my pieces as hybrid culminations; a coming together of a variety of influences. Sci-Fi fiction, film, worlds of the microcosmic and microscopic, the body and its interior and exterior world, our relationships to life and death, all serve as source material, often merging together in a finished piece. Of equal importance in the making of my work is that it retains evidence of process, and exploits the materials used, in order to maintain a direct link to the act of creating, its effects, and our connection to the primal and instinctual aspects of human experience." Thanks Kathi, for creating work that proves it isn't always about the price mark-up.
Wild Things
224 Lexington Avenue
Kepa3
31 Barker Street
Buffalo Arts Studio
2495 Main Street, suite 500
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
