Art Calendar/DC 1986. The contents maynot be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form without prior written permission. Art Calendar/DC is published monthly except August (11 issues)…. Publisher: Drew Steis. Editor: Carolyn Blakeslee…

Volume 1, No. 2                                                     - 2 -                                                           December, 1986

REVIEW
by  Sharon Kennedy

HUMOR, WIT AND  WHIMSY: ARTISTS TODAY TOURING EXHIBIT. Juried show sponsored by Montpelier  Cultural Arts Center of the  Mary land-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

Juror Bernard T. Reilly, Curator of Popular and Applied Graphic Art at the Library of Congress, selected 26 works from 122 artists' submissions. Selected works, Reilly says, were "excellent in their craftsmanship" and had to present an unusual, "interesting idea." There is a diversity of 2-D media represented (oil, crayon, etching, airbrush ink, watercolor, etc.), and I felt that the artists' technical skills were well-applied. But the range of ideas left me somewhat disappointed. There seems to be a dichotomy between juror/artist   interpretation and presentation of humor, and that  of viewers.

Performing artists and playwrights often draw front common everyday life situations, presenting them with a humorous or witty viewpoint which renders them funny — the immediate reaction from the audience may be a lighter feeling, a chuckle, or a laugh. Whimsy is slightly different from humor or wit. Here one uses an odd, capricious, quaint, or fanciful idea. Overall the "Humor, Wit and Whimsy" work falls into the whimsical category. A perfect example is Ann Rebecca Field's airbrush ink, "Maidenform Over Matter." Louise Francke's watercolor, "Ms. Manners," Bernard Zalon's etching, "The Satellites Are Out Tonight," and Ilene Winn-Lederer' s crayon, "Punk Chic" are close seconds in my view. Also worthy of mention are Martha  Bruin  Degen's gouache  on paper,  "Never Again" and David Hubbard's oil,  "Hammer Head."

The rest of the works are highly obtuse. Humor can be intellectual — satire and irony often incorporate esoteric references, and the presentation of ideas which are incongruous can fall into the category of humor. But these artists take humor too seriously and personally, internalizing humor where it has meaning only to the artist and not to the outside viewer; over half of the works are without obvious humor or wit. Reilly said, "Of 122 artists none had works that were out-and-out funny, like cartoons." Although Ann Schaffer's color lithograph models cartoon animation of a TV mystery hour, her punch  line   is missing.  And that  is true for many other works.

Another element of comedy and humor is repartee, where characters exchange ready and spirited retorts. Some works, if hung with wit in mind, could have interacted with each other — their juxtaposition could have been humorous; some works could have served "straight man" to another piece, adding to the impact of individual works. But the show as viewed at Bowie State College was not hung with this in mind. Bring your own sense of humor: today's art scene takes itself very seriously, and the "Humor, Wit, and Whimsy" show is no exception….

Living in Laurel, MD, Sharon Kennedy is a free-lance writer who also works as an artists' advisor/manager.

Volume 1, No. 2                                                          - 19 -                                                             December 1986