David Jarred’s 3D Drawamalg 7, 2009 resembles a storage container, or perhaps some kind of waste receptacle. But its appearance as such is belied by the materials (cast paper, acrylic paint) and color. Hence it appears like a use-object only somewhat, an idiosyncratic split between its form and light materials.This is the sense of his work; they recall everyday objects but with subtle variations that negate one’s first association. One feels as if the ‘everyday’ - sometimes even foreign or menacing - is here seen through a child’s eye: the ‘amalgamation’ to which the artist refers in the titles.
The works are either white or single-hued (with varying values). Secondly, they are almost all perfectly symmetrical. This symmetry plays with the handwork/mark-making - the evident modeling of the paper or light strokes of the brush. Thirdly, the compositions tend towards enclosed, monolithic forms, offsetting the softness of the color and material with an illusion of strength.
As per the artist statement, the works are ‘both recognizable and instantly strange, like deja vu or a visit to some lost place from your childhood.’ If so, the childhood referenced here was a happy one. Hence the viewer’s transport is positive.
-A.C. Frabetti
David Jarred, 'Drawamalgs' at the 1305 Gallery, 1305 Main St, Cincinnati, OH. Through Sept. 19.
In Photos: 3D Drawamalg 7, 2009. Cast paper and acrylic paint, about 6" tall.
Drawamalg 1, 2009. Acrylic on paper, 11.5"x9.25" framed.
