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Homes and castles
Barnet and von Buhler at Montserrat, Laffoley and Hudson at NESAD
BY RANDI HOPKINS

The spare, shadowy figurative paintings of artist Will Barnet often hint at action taking place outside the frame, action that adds the sense of time passing to what are otherwise very quiet, still works. Now 93 years old, the North Shore native began his artistic career at Boston’s Museum School in 1927, after which he headed for New York City, where he’s been living and teaching since the early 1930s. Barnet returns to his home town of Beverly with a major exhibition, "Will Barnet: My Father’s House," which opens at the Montserrat College of Art Gallery on October 1. The show is organized by Montserrat Gallery director Katherine French, who teamed with Barnet to assemble work from the 1930s through the 1990s, a period in which his interests and influences ranged from symbolic abstraction to Native American art. But Barnet’s childhood home in Beverly, which he helped his father build, holds a powerful place in the artist’s imagination. "My Father’s House" focuses on a series of paintings completed after the deaths of his sisters in the early 1990s; showcasing his evocative portraits of members of his family as well as his studies of interiors and exterior views of their house, it captures the sense of a place that has been slowly emptied of life.

More of a carnival atmosphere is sure to reign at the fully kinetic hullabaloo that will be "Cynth-O-Matic," an installation of paintings, sculpture, and machines by the notorious Cynthia von Buhler on view at Montserrat’s nearby 301 Gallery and opening with a bang (and a live performance by Ms. von Buhler) on October 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. In "Cynth-O-Matic," von Buhler takes on morality, aging, vanity, politics, and the art world itself in hands-on work that builds on the artist’s colorful past as a visual and performance artist who honed her craft in Boston before moving to New York City.

Famed Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926) sculpted buildings that broke with all established visual order as he drew on influences from the Arabian to the Gothic. Contemporary American artist Paul Laffoley, whose complex paintings are based on his own idiosyncratic visions of life and design, was fascinated to learn that Gaudí had made a rare trip from his native Barcelona to Lower Manhattan to visit what is now the site of the September 11 tragedy, in preparation for a little-known commission, never completed, for a hotel on that site. Laffoley’s meditation on Gaudí’s work on this project is the subject of "Paul Laffoley: The World Trade Center Gaudí Project," which opens at the New England School of Art & Design on October 7. Also at NESAD, "Jeff Hudson: Rembrandt Makeovers" attests to the Pop sense of humor of an artist who’s better known around town for his rocking musical work and videos with his wife, Jane.

Finally, there’s a new venue in town, on State Street, and its second-ever show has been curated by Boston’s talented and active James Manning. "Cute" — featuring work by six artists who challenge the title concept in interesting ways — just went up at Space 200; a big opening reception is planned for September 30.

"Will Barnet: My Father’s House" is at Montserrat College of Art Gallery, 23 Essex Street in Beverly, October 1 through November 23. "Cynth-O-Matic" is at Montserrat College of Art’s 301 Gallery, 301 Cabot Street in Beverly, October 5 through 30, with an opening reception and live performance October 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. Call (978) 921-4242 extension 1319 for Montserrat events. "Paul Laffoley: The World Trade Center Gaudí Project" and "Jeff Hudson: Rembrandt Makeovers" are at the New England School of Art & Design, 75 Arlington Street in Boston, October 7 through November 10; call (617) 573-8785. "Cute" is at Space 200, 200 State Street in Boston, through October 31, with an opening reception September 30 from 6 to 9 p.m.; call (617) 269-5767.


Issue Date: September 24 - 30, 2004
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