SOUVENIR
A still life show
Still life paintings are often created after an artist has meticulously arranged the scene—adding, removing, adjusting and tweaking the objects they’ve chosen to paint. The final composition typically feels like it has a personal touch, as it is a window into the artist’s mind and process. In the upcoming exhibition Souvenir, at Robert Lange Studios, 25 artists will present still lifes paired with the actual object of inspiration.
Artist and gallery owner Robert Lange says, “Seeing the behind the scenes of any artist’s process is such a draw for people. For this show we thought it would be fun to display the actual objects that the artists have been inspired by and then let the collector take that object home along with the painting.”
Christopher Stott’s painting Brownie Hawkeye depicts a camera that was ubiquitous in the 1950s household, but today is often looked upon as a relic. “I like that the camera was used to make images and memories—I use this built-in narrative by transforming it in to [a] painting,” say Stott. “The camera comes with its own stories that anyone can interpret in their own way. People stop and look closer at the camera when it is painted in oils on canvas.”
As a break from his detailed figurative paintings, Brian Tull created his simplistic, large-scale still life Last I Heard. The creation of the piece also marked his 10th year as a full-time artist, as he began his journey with this style of painting before
moving to the figurative works.
“For reference purposes, I purchased the radio from a friend, who’d previously purchased it from the original owner in Buffalo, New York,” Tull explains. “I was drawn to the numbers around the outer, rusted metal clock dial. It was about time, the whole painting through almost the entire process was about time for me. I wondered who this radio belonged to and what job, or college class it woke them for every morning. Did they have a grand night out on the town the night before? I dwelled on our time that we’ve been given, and how thankful I am for it, and if the original owner of the clock radio still had their time.”
Many of the objects Mia Bergeron paints tend to be perishable, so she was on the hunt for an item that had a visual story. She came up with the work Deciduous, depicting an object from her husband’s collection. “My husband has a collection of masks— all kinds. This mask always kind of spoke to me for its odd character—I can’t decide if it is surprised, scared or joyful. All those characteristics kind of remind me of how I feel when I look at nature in general,” she says. “I decided to really go all-in and paint a scene using the mask as the basis for a lot of the natural things I love, in contrast with these really bright colors. I wanted to paint something both joyful and confusing, a bit like the emotions I associate with that mask.”
Souvenir will be on view October 5 to 26, and there will be a reception opening night from 5 to 8 p.m.
Robert Lange Studios 2 Queen Street • Charleston, SC 29401 (843) 805-8052 • www.robertlangestudios.com