Tucked away in the alley behind Wells Fargo Bank is the Quint Contemporary Art Gallery.
The reviewer visited its Summer Sculpture Show, focusing on sculptures from 20 artists ” the works as varied as the myriad summer activities going on in the San Diego area. (Editor’s note: Although the show closed earlier this week, this review is written in the present tense.)
Standing sentinel in the back room of the gallery is a 31-inch cube appearing like a golden block of newly baled straw. Upon closer inspection, it is a square of toothpicks held together by friction ” another sculpture by Tara Donovan.
A conceptual artist, Donovan uses everyday objects of mundane importance, such as straight pins or drinking straws, in a completely unexpected manner, creating surprising pieces. For the viewer: figure out how this all comes to be.
Contrasting the fragility of the toothpick sculpture is the treated steel floor sculpture by Kenneth Capps. The permanence and solidarity of this metal roundal is reminiscent of a small mound of earth that has been molded with a peak atop. Titled “Fire A,” the 14-by-34-by-42-inch work reflects its name perfectly.
Two cast aluminum painted wall sculptures by Kim MacConnel feature reused simple objects fused together into colorful, painted enamel “Clowns” standing sentinel on cone-shaped wall brackets. One head of the figure is a golf ball cut in half with a tab opener, a tube cap jauntily topping the head. Another clown painted with an orange body is made from a used paintbrush solidified with an art medium, and then heavily enameled. A small “J” hook is embedded for detail.
“Mystery Areas of Distinction” is an interesting wall piece. Measuring 5-by-5-by-5, it is a finely executed red-flocked case over basswood, with a wood-burned, incised, polished birch roller embellished with small, engraved brass plates, with musings like “This Area is Hot,” “Step Back in Time,” “Excellence,” among others. The piece reflects a walk through life. Thimble-sized brass knobs at either end of the roller make this an interactive sculpture. Jay Johnson is the artist for this piece.
Small, brass-plated steel wall sculptures by Lawler McCollum are romantically sculpted brasses, shaped like a leaf, Ethiopian crosses, cursive writings and other softly executed pieces of metal. The sizes are between 9.5 inches and 4.5 inches, and are quite a delightful series, with the soft, gentle shapes a distinct contrast to the hardness of the brass. A painted tin-house shelf sculpture is hammered on the outside with small brads throughout. Random pieces of painted tin, which was possibly a larger landscape before it was separated, have been reassembled together in a crazy-quilt pattern on a matrix of plywood forming the shape of a house.
Ernest Silva, UCSD art professor, constructed a four-dimensional oil on wooden wall hanging, “In the Blaze,” possibly a reminder of the horrific San Diego wildfires two years ago. The 28-by-35-by-4-inch piece is a series of trees cut in many forms placed in the frame. The trees are all painted red, as is the blazing fire in the middle of the forest, all against a background of blue. The frame is eerily dabbed with red on the natural wood.
Beloved San Diego artist Italo Scanga was known to have a sense of humor, which he conveyed in his artistic creations. A gorgeous, small bronze deer standing mightily on all fours, with an alert head and large ears, is crowned with a spiral-shaped cone of orange glass. The piece is “Deer Flame,” and is 54 by 48 by 16 inches.
Other artists represented in this show are Jean Lowe, Roman de Salvo, John Gerard, Rebecca Horn, Jan van Munster, Tom Waldron, William Tucker, Vic Munoz, Peter Shelton and Robert Terrine.
The Summer Sculpture Show closed Aug. 15. Quint Contemporary Art, 7739 Fay Ave. (alley entrance only behind Wells Fargo Bank, between Kline and Silverado). The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and by appointment. For information, call (858) 454-3409.
