Monday, October 02, 2006

rachell sumpter at gr-sf

the fourth solo show we saw last saturday was rachell sumpter's frizzly gur at grsf in the upper haight.
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this is my favorite piece in the show.
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it shares a title cassiopeia, with a joanna newsom song. makes sense. i feel the people most in this painting. enjoying the comfort of a hug in between the crutch of a smoke.

not sure why she puts them in sami garb. sf gate picked the show for their 96 hours feature. the review quotes sumpter: "i draw people that i know, but wearing native clothes." i find myself drawn to her images but also somewhat offput by the clothing. for example, i know that no animals were killed in the making of the painted fur-lined coats but they still stir up my antipathy to animal fur as accessory.

the show also includes small (5" tall) sculptures - hand-carved and painted balsa wood.
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i saw a set of three of these in junc's sculpture show on the web (scroll down) a while back and it was nice to see them in person.

the show also includes a painting of trees, which looks very different than the other work i have seen.
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it reminds me of one of the klimt paintings that was just returned to the heirs of the original owners, although looking at that painting, i cannot articulate why.

art business also posted photos of some of the work in a current three-person show in supervisor mirikami's office (along with saches eckes and alika cooper). not sure when that show comes down.

as shown on her website, she also does intricate pen and ink botanicals (none in this show). and, she lists upcoming shows, including the fact that both motel gallery and richard heller gallery are representing her in miami in december.

grsf posted the work in their store. the show runs through october 18.

the sculptures range from $350 to $425 and many are still available. the paintings range from $750 to $1250. if you have been hankering for a rachell sumpter, this show presents good opportunities. and with richard heller and his ilk showing her in the future, her prices are only going up and it will become more difficult to get her work.

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