Review #2 – Halloween Art Show
If you are into all that is gory, freaky, and downright frightening, be sure to visit the annual Halloween art exhibition at the MF Gallery in the Lower East Side. As I entered the tiny shop, with its loud rock music blaring in the background, I realized that this was no ordinary store. Sure, there was a display case full of funky toys and a rack of stylish print T-shirts on sale, but what was most appealing was definitely the paintings, drawings, and figurines mounted on the walls. Admiring these creepy pieces was almost like taking an exciting tour around a museum, except this exhibition was certainly not suitable for children.Initially, I felt somewhat out of place because of the daring atmosphere. However, I decided that any teenager, young adult, or hip middle-aged individuals should give this gallery a try just to get into the spirit of the holiday and appreciate art at the same time. Instead of being scared away by the ghoulish images in Ed Repka’s comic-like ink drawings, I was fascinated by the details on the beasts, especially in the hair and facial textures. Some looked eerily human, such as the “Biker,” with its nose ring and earring. This was actually something I noticed about a couple of the artworks in the exhibition – many of the monsters possessed humanlike qualities. For example, in Mark Riddick’s “Unholy Union,” the subjects were clearly supposed to resemble popes with monstrous faces holding upside down crosses. Aside from making political statements, the art also suggested that people have demonic natures.
Even more startling, perhaps, were Fernando Carpaneda’s bloody figurines. Clad in black, the characters were either vampires or they were impaled in some way. Clearly the three-dimensionality escalated the eek-factor. The realism of the dying man in “You Hurt My Feelings” sent shivers down my spine, as it appeared he was looking directly at me with one bulging eye. Had he been sketched on a flat plane, the effect would probably have been far less chilling.
Yet despite the daunting appearances of perverse child-turned-monster trick-or-treaters or the sexual allusions found in Frank Russo’s drawings, some of the artworks in the gallery were actually quite amusing. In Mike Rimbaud’s “Song of the Lost Soul,” he cleverly used a guitar as his canvas. Painting an image of a woman on the body of the instrument, he used the neck to add a snake and a bee making their way into the woman’s mouth. It was an extremely creative way of using up all the space available. Another witty artist was James Wrona, who turned “The Last Supper” by Leonardo Da Vinci into an adorable “The Slashed Supper” with Halloween characters. Even children would enjoy identifying the figures, which included Chucky, Freddy, Jason, Dracula, Frankenstein, Werewolf, and Mummy.
Eventually I got used to the rock music, which was really fitting for a Halloween art show. By having this sort of “soundtrack” playing in the background, the viewers’ pulse would quicken as it does when gazing upon the disembodied arms and legs by Martina Secondo Russo. Personally, I found this exhibition much more fascinating than walking through haunted houses in amusement parks. Edgy and bold, the artists undoubtedly convinced me that the Halloween show is not, based on popular misconceptions, only for Goths or punks.
