SUPERNATURAL: IN THE FACE OF DANGER
THE SILBER ART GALLERY Sanford J. Ungar Athenaeum | Goucher College
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“ I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” — Christopher Reeve
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uperheroes are making their way into many contemporary artists’ visual lexicon. Epitomizing the timeless battle of good versus evil, the hero and villain archetypes offer a narrative in which the righteous always prevail. We celebrate the heroes and boo the villains. They represent strong will, determination, and sacrifice while wielding their superpowers fearlessly in the face of danger. They are the protectors of the people and defenders of justice. It’s no wonder, then, given the turbulent times affecting us locally and globally, that the superhero theme has become a poignant part of our cultural consciousness. In the exhibition Supernatural: In the Face of Danger eight artists expand upon these notions, offering viewers a unique and fresh perspective. Delving into the enduring superhero motif, these artists aim to recontextualize the complexities surrounding the myth of the hero. Each offers a tangential angle, and whether it be tongue-in-cheek, nostalgic, or laudatory, they remind us that everyone loves a hero.
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Cuban-American artist F. Lennox Campello’s Naked Superhero series integrates technology with art. The embedded snippets of vintage video add narrative, while the nakedness imparts vulnerability—a concept not typically associated with heroism. Ric Garcia, also a Cuban-American artist, incorporates Latin iconic themes in a
pop-art fashion. Through appropriation, his paintings question advertising and its implied messages. Carla Goldberg encapsulates tiny toys in resin for her ongoing I Remember series. These trinkets of childhood recall memories of youth and become a physical manifestation of preserving the past.
Jeannette L. Herrera’s humorous work blends Latin-American Judaism with comic book imagery to highlight her Peruvian heritage. Simon Monk’s hyper-realistic paintings of bagged superhero figurines on peg board skew the viewer’s frame of reference, begging the questions: Are they for sale? Collectibles? Odd taxonomies? Steeped in
nostalgia, each painting elevates the banal to the cherished. Richard Schellenberg’s video installation plays on a vintage television set. His sophisticated morphing video portrays a young boy flying on the shoulders of Superman (played by George Reeves), dictating the Man of Steel’s every move.
Andrew Wodzianski likes to indulge in a little fantasy roleplaying. In his Fanboy series, the artist dons various masks and matching T-shirts. His self-portrait paintings are closely cropped, adding another layer to the idea of hidden identity. Nicholas Zimbro’s painting features a young boy wearing what appears to be Superman
pajamas. He is nestled among a myriad of radiating shapes and colors, a reference to our ever-changing technological reality.
LIST OF WORKS Cover: Jeannette L. Herrera Spidermum, 2013 acrylic on da vinci board 10” x 10” 1. Carla Goldberg C3PO, 2015 Handcast vintage Hallmark Christmas ornament, resin on plexiglas 15” x 15”
3. Nicholas Zimbro When I was a boy we had these things called animals, 2013 36” x 46”
6. Simon Monk Mind the Store no.1, 2014 oil and alkyd on wood 40” x 28”
4. Ric Garcia Iron Man Drink, 2012 acrylic on canvas 24” x 24” Photo credit: Anything Photographic/Pete Duvall
7. Andrew Wodzianski Self Portrait as Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, 2014 oil on canvas 34” x 34”
5. F. Lennox Campello The Batman Brooding Over Robin (in The Batcave), 2013 30” x 40” charcoal, conte, and appropriated video (loop)
2. Richard Schellenberg When I was a small boy, 2011 video installation 48” x 24” x 24”
September 8 – October 11, 2015 OPENING RECEPTION
Friday, September 18, 6-9 p.m. F. Lennox Campello Ric Garcia Carla Goldberg Jeannette L. Herrera Simon Monk Richard Schellenberg Andrew Wodzianski Nicholas Zimbro
THE SILBER GALLERY
Sanford J. Ungar Athenaeum DIRECTIONS Baltimore Beltway, I-695, to exit 27A. Make first left onto campus.
GALLERY HOURS 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday – Sunday 410-337-6477
The exhibit is free and open to the public. The Silber Gallery program is funded with the assistance of grants from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency funded by the state of Maryland and the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Baltimore County Commission on the Arts and Sciences.
goucher.edu/silber