I touch my art

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

By Aaron Wallis

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-Over the years, I have been involved in a number of disagreements with museum guards. Fortunately, none of them escalated into altercations. With the exception of the time I corrected the tour guide for historical inaccuracies about Henri Rousseau, these incidents all involved my proximity to a work of art. What really pissed me off was that I never had any intention of touching the works of art. I was in strict compliance with the six-inch rule, designed to prevent contact between the sexes during my parochial school days. But some museum guard with a ninth grade education always assumes that I intend to touch the art. “Sir step away from that painting, if you fail to comply I will be forced to mace you.”

I have always suspected the paintings did not levitate onto the wall and somebody had to touch them in order to hang them. These suspicions were confirmed as I had the good fortune to catch the Fed-Ex truck delivering a Jackson Pollock to the Heather James Gallery. Lyndsay was kind enough to allow me to assist her in unpacking and hanging the painting. During the process, I actually got to touch the painting and well, I can’t recall an experience that stimulating since losing my virginity.

My short list of places that will let me touch the artwork included Asymbol Gallery. Located in Jackson – though it exists primarily in cyber space at www.asymbolgallery.com – Asymbol is the brainchild of snowboarder Travis Rice. The gallery produces high quality digital prints of works involved with various snowboarding related accessories, if only conceptually or by lifestyle association. Whoever designed the Asymbol Web site did a kick ass job. Web surfers can tour a virtual gallery space, browsing walls of art then zooming in on individual pieces. Shoppers can also choose from a variety of sizes for reproductions and customized framing options.

I was not familiar with artist Adam Haynes, and I really dig his paintings. The originals are acrylic on wood and have kind of a whimsical illustrative quality. The surface of a work is always a challenge for an artist to embrace and incorporate, but the wood coming through the background on “Silverton” feels like a part of the image.

Some of you may know artist Mike Parillo from his cover art for JH Snowboarder last year. Several of Parillo’s original oils are hanging in the Asymbol Office. Touching them did not give me quite the same kind of kinky thrill that holding a Pollock did, but it was at least as much fun as second base.

Seeing a large painting in person has no substitute – reproductions never do the visceral experience of encountering a work of art justice. But they capture the essence of the work and cost much less while supporting the artist. Even after years of visiting museums and galleries, most of the work I know, I know through reproductions. And Aysmbols prints are better and larger than what you would find in museum gift shops or books. JHW

‘Love Story,’ oil on linen by Mike Parillo.

PERMALINK:
I touch my art | Planet JH News Article: Arts Beat

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