Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
‘We’re going to meet halfway and explore’
CHASE McCurdy practices his art in a place of contradiction.
He finds that the balance between freedom and discipline in which he writes and draws every day extends from his practice to his daily life, as he strives to identify ways to be a positive force in the world.
When not creating artworks, like those currently on display at the City Hall gallery, the commercial photographer volunteers as an art teacher for what he calls other marginalized communities: children and senior citizens.
One of his 2018 pieces is a staged photograph, showing an American flag suspended by a thin string and backlit by a bright window.
The image has several meanings to him.
“I look at it as a country in distress. As a historical piece, there’s a legacy of lynching,” McCurdy says.
Looking at the photo now, he wonders what the light from the window could stand for. “I see the green of the plant and the new light coming through, like a new horizon.”
The artist prefers to use abstract imagery over recognizable forms.
“A lot of artists I love and champion represent African American people in their art,” McCurdy says. “What I gain by using abstract shapes is the ability to potentially connect with a broader range of individuals.”
His choice speaks to another contradiction that black artists often experience: being grouped into one category instead of being afforded the same individuality as more mainstream contemporaries. He hopes his abstract images will engage audience members in a way that is more conversational.
“I am more than willing to challenge you,” McCurdy says. “I want you to interpret this, but I’m not going to spoon-feed it to you. We’re going to meet halfway and explore it together.”