'Rapture' exhibit displays artists' diverse passions

Beginning this week the work of nine ethnically diverse artists will be exhibited at the gallery in the Arts and Industry Building here on campus. The exhibit, titled "Rapture", features an array of paintings, photography, sculptures and video art meant to represent the artists' individual experiences while maintaining an underlying theme of passion, power and resurrection.

Mark Johnson, a curator of the exhibit, said the nine artists whose works appear are representative of the ethnic diversity in our community, as well as here on campus, although not all of the artists have direct ties to SF State.

"One of the great things about the art scene of California is that there is more diversity here than anywhere else in the world," Johnson said.

"What makes this particular exhibit interesting is that it features artists from such different backgrounds. A Native American artist whose work is about transfiguration, an African American artist whose works reference African traditions as well as European traditions, Asian American artists who refer to Buddhism, as well as European American art."

Don Gregorio Anton, a graduate of SF State who is now a professor of art at Humboldt State University, said he was happy to have his work displayed with the work of artists who do not share his Mexican-American background.

"I will often be asked to participate in exhibits which only include art by Hispanic artists," Anton said. "It's nice to be included not just for my ethnicity, but for content as well."

Anton is the only Mexican-American artist featured in this exhibit, as well as the only artist who uses photography in his work.

Referring to a painting by Native American artist James Lavadour, Noah Glass, a cinema major said, "It looks like some strange, perverted, Mount Rushmore thing happening."

Most visitors to the exhibit seemed to like the marble sculpture by African American artist Oliver Jackson.

"Jackson's work is interesting because it is influenced by both African and European styles," Mark Johnson said.

Richard Taylor, an art major, said that while he enjoyed this exhibit, "Overall, I like the student art show in the student union better than this."

Referring to an oil painting by Korean-born artist Younhee Paik, art major Michelle Healy said, "Well, I wouldn't have it in my living room, but I think it's very interesting."

While the majority of the works displayed in "Rapture" were completed recently, only one artist's work was designed specifically for this exhibit. Cherie Raciti, a professor in the art department at SF State, incorporated biblical imagery in a cut-paper installation titled "1,000 Tongues of Fire". Raciti, who said she does not consider herself a religious person, wants her art to be seen as symbolic of the possibility of changing from one thing to another.

"Rapture has specific connotations of transfiguration and transformation of an internal or an external event. It is not always a religious word," Raciti said.

In fact, rapture is defined in the dictionary as "the state of being transported by a lofty emotion; ecstasy. The transportation of a person from one place to another, especially to heaven."

How did the artists interpret the meaning of this word?

Paik, a Korean-American artist whose paintings feature themes of ladders and stairs, explained that she began using these themes to represent the difference between peace and chaos in her life.

"My studio was in the basement. I had to go down stairs to be alone, and when I climbed back up those same stairs my peace was interrupted. They became a symbol of ascending and descending and that came out in my painting."

Paik also said that when she broke her leg a few years ago, stairs took on a whole new meaning.

"That is why there are crutches in my painting," she said, referring to her painting titled, "Climbing".

Paik's other painting featured in the exhibit, "My Heavy Wings" deals with the death of her mother.

"I didn't pay much attention to heaven, even though I go to church. I think subconsciously I was thinking about heaven when I did that painting," she added.

"There are three hot spots in contemporary art. One is politics, one is sex, one is religion," Johnson said. "While none of this work is really explicitly religious, all of it in some way refers to either transformation or transfiguration or some of those feelings that have to do with religion and resurrection and those kinds of issues."

Johnson also said that much of the artwork displayed in "Rapture" deals with the artists' loss of a family member.

"Much of the work is inspired by personal family stories. Even though we don't talk about it there are several artists who have lost family members, and their work is particularly inspired by those deaths."

This exhibit is dedicated to the memory of artist and author David Wojnarovicz, who collaborated with composer/musician Ben Neill on a video installation titled, "In the Shadow of Forward Motion" or "ITSOFOMO". This video art, which explores sex, death, politics and nature, is also featured in the "Rapture" exhibit. Wojnarovicz died in 1992.

"Rapture" can be seen Monday through Saturday, noon to 4 p.m., until March 21. Admission is free.

[ Golden Gater Online February 29, 1996 ]

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