Art in review

“Recalcitrant” is the art of remaining stubbornly defiant, akin to digging your heels in for the beliefs you’re advancing without remotely entertaining other avenues. It’s also what comes to mind when looking at the latest effort by artist/curator Bill Pierce at Art Produce Gallery—Endeavor, a group show of 15 San Diego artists and a benefit for Eveoke Dance Theater in North Park.

If the goal of the show beyond its intent to help Eveoke was to demonstrate the endeavor of the artists’ work on view, specifically the quality and global interest of these works, then it was very little indeed. While the artwork is undoubtedly disparate, it is the recalcitrance to a better selection of art and a lack of a clear vision and intent that is the most disappointing.

It’s a frequent error here in San Diego that doesn’t help its artistic development as a credible community. This often facilitates the art becoming a backdrop to social hyperbole and not its focus.

It’s time for some change. A few suggestions: Make it a Cardinal Sin if you ever exhibit work organized around a ubiquitous theme or group of artists that has nothing to do with what you produce. Experiment yes, adapt no. Both artists and curators can benefit from one another by a little discretionary judgment. Secondly, and it has been said before in a city the size of San Diego, may you be banished to the deepest depths of Hell if you show work that has already been seen in three other venues within the last four months—don’t disrespect your viewer.

That said, there are a few pearls to be cultivated. Bret Barrett and his collages of dejected bits of paper and plastic refuse compacted, glued and slathered with vibrant metallic paints onto wooden supports. Zuri Waters, with a brightly colored cutout figurine—impressive. Dave Miles paints “Not of this World” from his Mock-a-Zine series, a pun on John W. Campbell’s Astounding Science Fiction publications. And finally, there’s Paul Brogden, who should be the only one to paint Beavis and Butthead.


Endeavor: Parts 1 & 2 will be on view until Feb. 16. at Art Produce Gallery, 3139 University Ave. in North Park. A second opening reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 9. 619-584-4448 or www.artproducegallery.com.