Downtown Tucsonan - February 2009 - (Page 15) and then there’s chris Rush. anyone who passed by the Hotel congress windows several years ago and stopped to gawk will affirm that Rush is a master portraitist. those windows for a time were inhabited by the haunting faces Rush inscribed on found materials — old paper covered with scribbles, words, text of all sorts – that stared out at the passersby in all their inherent, implacable beauty and/or grotesquerie. For Translations Rush has once again assembled a collection of people to haunt our dreams. an obvious delight in the process of drawing and painting instills his work with joy and ecstasy, which he proclaims as his philosophy. “I believe in pleasure, delight, foolishness,” he explains. “the inquiry is more important than answers . . . process rather than the end product. I don’t make art I don’t enjoy.” that much is obvious. Face to face with the results of that joyous process, intense engagement meets aesthetic gratification – not only in the sense that craftsmanship and expert technique is readily apparent, but also in the shiver-inducing moment of intimate contact with the physiognomy of unforgettable characters. You know you are acquainted with these people: their souls and spirit have been revealed by the inspired artistry of chris Rush. the convergence of these superb works of art saturates the gallery space with passionate, improbable beauty and sobering, thought-provoking imagery — to arouse devoted admiration and, I daresay, fervent veneration for three of tucson’s most accomplished and esteemed creators. You’ll return again and again to absorb, to admire, to fall in love. Etherton Gallery, 135 south 6th ave. Hours: tuesday – saturday 11am – 5pm. thursday until 7pm and by appointment. telephone (520) 624-7370. Translations runs through april 11. Illustrated catalog available. bailey doogan, “four-fingered s m i l e” ( i n - p ro g re s s ) ( 2 0 0 8) , c h a r c o a l o n p r i m e d p a p e r, 6 4 ” x 5 2 ” february.09. downtown tucsonan 15 http://www.onenorthfifth.com http://www.onenorthfifth.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.