Exhibition Critique: Sarah Williams & Amy Blakemore
Top right: Williams, Sarah. Brookfield Plaza. 2013. The Gallery at UTA, Texas
Bottom right: Williams, Sarah. East Monroe Street. 2012. The Gallery at UTA, Texas
Left: Williams, Sarah. Glenstone Avenue. 2012. The Gallery at UTA, Texas
Blakemore, Amy. Switch. 2012. The Gallery at UTA, Texas
On October 18, 2013, I had the chance to attend the exhibition of Amy Blakemore and Sarah Williams at the Gallery at UTA. This was my third time visiting the Gallery at UTA, and the way the students and faculty way of arranging it always seems to impressed and bring out the best of the artist artworks. In this exhibition it seems like the theme leans more towards something mysterious, haunting, and unknown. Sarah Williams and Amy Blakemore are both great artists; Sarah Williams is more of a painter, while Amy Blakemore is a photographer. Both of their artworks work well together, because they both like to paint or photograph pictures of landscapes, they like to capture the presence of what was there.
While I was waiting for the Artist Talk, I wandered around looking at the two artist artwork trying to understand why both of their artworks worked well together, and why they had chosen the place and settings for the pictures and paintings to be set in a certain place. It wasn’t only the theme that they had in common, but more of a point of view towards peoples, and also the world. For example, Sarah Williams made a painting called “Brookfield Plaza”, it is a painting of a fireworks tent. The tent was lighted brightly, filled with warm orange and yellow lights. The painting made you feel as though there are presence of people in the tent, but when you look closely at it there are none. This is probably her way of showing that there is life in places that we seem to have overlooked. I might be over thinking what her paintings means, since she did said she doesn’t like painting people in artworks, but it still makes me curious about what kind of story is behind her theme. As for Amy Blakemore artwork, the one that had capture my eyes was the picture called “Switch”, this is a picture collage of mans, and little boys. This photograph made me wonder why she had chosen the name “Switch” for it. What does the name mean? And why did she choose to photograph those pictures? During the exhibition I got the chance to meet up with her, and she explained a little bit more about that certain picture. She took that picture in a church, and they were pictures of other people family members. She didn’t explain why she took a picture of it, and why she chosen that name, but I felt like it was a good thing she didn’t. I felt like it was better off without an answer, because that was what kept that photograph mysterious, and it made people curious.
Even though the artworks were very gorgeous and interesting to look at, I find it more interesting to look at how everything is set up to enhance the beauty of the artworks, from floors, walls, to ceiling decoration and arrangements. For Sarah Williams and Amy Blakemore exhibition, the UTA faculty chose a simply and clean setting for the artists artworks. The walls were painted white, and very clean. On the ceilings they used many light bulbs to help the viewers look at the artworks better. Each of the artists artworks were mixed up, and placed beside each other. Their artworks look good together, so both of theirs didn’t overwhelm each others.
In my opinion this exhibition is important to the art world, and also the modern world today, because every artist has their own point of view towards art, like the artist Sarah Williams and Amy Blakemore. They both like to express what they see and feel through pictures and painting. Their artworks shows what they see towards the world, and it will help other people understand that there are more to what they see, and they just might overlook what is there in front of them. That is why Sarah Williams and Amy Blakemore artworks are described as “offbeat and haunting”. I had a great experience attending this exhibition. I had gain a better understanding of art. Art is more than just a pretty image, art is much more beautiful when you understand their meanings.
1.) Brandy, McDonnell. NewsOK, "Tulsa-born artist Amy Blakemore takes chances along with photos." Last modified May 11, 2011. Accessed November 19, 2013. http://newsok.com/article/3827825.
2.) http://www.inmangallery.com/artists/blakemore_amy/Blakemore_bio_page.html
3.) http://www.martywalkergallery.com/artists/sarah-williams/artist-page.html
4.) Our Visual Culture, “ Sarah Williams: Painting the New American Landscape,” May 2011
5.) http://sarahwilliams-paintings.com/home.html
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