LAGO VISTO GALLERY Dallas, Texas Exhibition: “Val Curry: Mr. Ambivalent” Engagement Prototype B

Charlotte London
Feb. 15, 2008

The exhibition includes sculptures and drawings by artist, Val Curry. It was a unique display of strong masculine projects. Wow, what a great one man show. The testosterone was definitely flowing over the entire Gallery. The majority of the sculptures were assemblage sculpture of plastic solders, toys, fasteners, bondo and tennis shoes. The exhibit also included drawings by the artist which were in the same theme as the sculptures. He is apparently an all American boy who loves his country. The artist included just a hint of humor in the green tennis shoe exhibit. The green tennis shoe exhibit is the only exhibit paint in this hue. Your attention is definitely drawn to this section of the exhibit. Perhaps after viewing such a display of testosterone the mood need to be lifted just a bit.
The artist made very strong points by strategically placing objects in a vertical direction for added emphasis. At first glance the objects point upward which suggested to me that power moves higher and higher in chaotic situations. As the figures rise to the top there are fewer and fewer objects. Wow, this sounds like the world we live today. Perhaps the artist was looking for answers by seeking out a high source.
The plastic green toy soldiers are a warm color which is a good contrast against cobalt blue cool hues. The artist used flat paint on all the smooth and rough surfaces. The use of paint seems to soften the rough objects but makes more visual the smooth objects. The use of a glossy paint would have certainly changed the emphasis of objects. The matte finish gave all the object power in the exhibit. The soldiers appear to be randomly placed over the entire sculpture of which most are horizontal. This rhythmical placement draws attention to the toy blue action figures. The arm movements of the toy soldiers give action to the entire piece. The base of the sculpture is a geometric rectangular shape which rises approximately 4-5 inches. Two rectangular boxes are stacked on top of each other and are not painted. Perhaps the artist did not want to capture the base but the natural hue does stand out in the piece. The action figures are placed on the left and right sides of the sculpture which creates sense of balance.
The body of the sculpture was produced with toy soldiers, toy figures and objects in blue, green and gray. The artist created a considerable amount of negative space within the sculpture with the placement of the objects. I wonder if the negative space was intentional or created from the mere placement of the objects. It appears the additive process was a major factor in this creation. The negative space now becomes apart of the creation. The sculpture narrows from the body to the top of the sculpture.
The overhead artificial light casts a shadow onto the wall behind the object which gives a pronounced emphasis on the object.