Foyer, Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, November 2010

THIS LATEST exhibition from A96 Artists’ Collective (Caroline Bury, Clare Cummings, Anne Munn, Debbi Beeson, Kath Sanderson, Sheena Wilson, Mary Black, Brian Crawford Young and Linda Smith) reveals “influences and inspirations”, pairing the work of famous artists with reinterpretations, copies or homages by members of the A96 group.

The result is a very mixed affair, with some artists actively exploring the visual language of artists who inspire them and others offering literal imitations that pale in comparison.

Humanity by Linda Smith after Ken Currie

While the duel presentation of images perhaps offers a gateway for audience exploration of a wider field of artistic reference, the group might have perhaps been better served by simply being themselves. The quality of work is extremely variable, and as a showcase for the Collective, conceptually flawed.

Copies are arguably of limited value, as are badly executed imitations, in terms of raising professional profile or local audience expectation in relation to visual art. The most interesting pieces in this exhibition are those that engage not just with stylistic influence but with an understanding of the technique and vision of artists past and present, or reinterpret works in an insightful way.

Sheena Wilson’s reinterpretation of Paul Gaugin’s Yellow Christ, replacing female figures at the base of the crucifixion with soldiers, offers a different reading of the work, an interesting twist on the psychological palette and composition of the original image. The juxtaposition of iconic Christian imagery and uniforms of conflict is both timeless and contemporary. What this work suggests is how artists in the group might have engaged with original works in order to stimulate, provoke or challenge their audience.

A96 Map by Clare Cummings, using text and drawn image to represent the artist’s journey, “a drive along the A96 in 64 minutes, west to east, thirty nine miles”, pays homage to the methodology of land artist Richard Long. The linear drawing and its parameters, “two towns between two cities” punctuated by “8 roundabouts”, “11 crossroads” and “52 T junctions”, reinterprets a familiar journey – a refreshing approach in a region where landscape is defined primarily in scenic terms.

The artist depicts a different type of engagement with environment, and Cummings’s adoption of the physical and documentary aspects of Long’s work suggests a reimagining of the local landscape.

Linda Smith’s suite of works displaying the influence of artists such as Alison Watt, Giorgio de Chirico, Ken Currie and Avigdor Arikha on her painting are by far the most integrated works in the show. Her understanding and exploration of visual language, which has been very much in evidence in previous group shows, extends beyond technique or style into the psychology and discipline of crafting images.

The powerful, highly contrasted tonality evident in the dreamlike spaces of de Chirico’s empty architecture or in Currie’s unflinching portrayal of the face of humanity clearly inform Smith’s own vision as an artist. The juxtaposition of her Nostalgia (oil on canvas) and de Chirico’s Melancholy share a kinship in their evocation of contemplative silence.

Undisclosed by Linda Smith

Smith actively reveals the association, but equally remains true to herself. This is expressed in her characteristic palette, the depth of blue shadow and accents of alizarin crimson that dangerously skirt around the vacant window frames.

The safety of inner dwellings are always presented as highly ambiguous and intensely psychological spaces in Smith’s work aided by manipulation of perspective. This quality influenced by cinematography might also have been explored in this exhibition, juxtaposing influential stills from film with the artist’s work, and highlighting the largely unseen skill of composition in cinema.

Though there are examples of insightful work in this show, sadly these are in the minority. The collective would have been best served when adopting the Copy Cats theme to creatively explore its possibilities and contradictions rather than offering what are predominantly limited imitations. Hopefully the next group exhibition will see them united in expressing their individuality.

© Georgina Coburn, 2010

Links

• A96 Collective