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Mitchell. Her subject matter is cows in pastures but the rendering is far beyond straightforward depiction. Although you recognize the forms and the depth of space they occupy, equal emphasis is given to flattening the picture plane. The cows, the pasture and the background all become equal elements in the visual fabric of the painting. It is here that you see how Dodd�s paintings connect to the patterned forms offered in Cajori and Mitchell�s work. |
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The three abstract artists, Ippolito, Cajori and Mitchell compare rather well. As already mentioned, Cajori and Mitchell run neck and neck with bright, delicious colors busted up into smaller forms. But Ippolito provides some contrasting gravity, especially as to palette. Beyond this, a primary distinguishing feature for each is their varied approaches to paint handling. In their paintings, Cajori tends toward rawness and Mitchell�s treatment is softer edged and temperate. But Cajori gets a softer effect in his magnificent color and India ink works on paper. Ippolito is just the opposite, more gentle with the painting but harshly expressive in the collage work. |
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William King, Tanager, 1952, painted metal, 32 x 28 x 8 in |
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Then there is the lone sculptor, William King, whose work is further distinguished from the others by its figurative references and sense of humor. The sensibility present in King�s pieces at |
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Angelo Ippolito, Untitled, circa 1952,
oil on linen, 9.5 x 12.5 in |
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times recalls Calder and tangentially, Picasso such as with his �Tanager� bird. Other work suggests general references to naïve art. There is a purposefully distressed esthetic to some of his pieces that suggests found artifacts of, perhaps, newly distant pop culture. For all his difference to the others, a tenuous commonality is established to Dodd�s cows in the earth tones and humor. Still, among the five founders, King stands most uniquely apart. |
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It is interesting that such diverse art is able to hang together so well; especially coming from a time when everyone held such deeply felt (and often opposing) passions about art. However, you can only conclude so much from the limited amount of work presented in this exhibition. Most of it is dated from the late 50s and is a micro-subset of that. From a group perspective it would be interesting to see what has transpired since for a comprehensive comparison. Even so, as a group show The Founding Five not only provides a historical snapshot of artistic counterpoints, but also presents an undercurrent of common ground. Simply stated: artists then fervently believed in esthetic sensibility and the art reflected it. This show is devoid of the clever, above-it-all, irony so long prevalent. Instead there is a refreshing honesty and sincerity of expression that consistently carries throughout this art and exhibition. |
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