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San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Artists Gallery, Building A
Artists have felt the need to depict the human figure since that first artist painted those hunters on that cave wall in France. In times past, portraiture was an artist’s bread and butter — think of the many famous painters whose livelihood relied on the commissions from the wealthy patrons whose portraits they painted.
In more recent times, portraiture and figurative work have gone in and out of fashion, depending on which way the current artistic winds have blown. And yet to this day, no matter what the popular mode, somewhere at sometime, an artist is capturing the human figure on canvas or paper or in stone. Figure Drawing is still a required course in art colleges. People still try to capture the human image, whether in portrait studios or with digital cameras or cell phones. The need remains.
 This month the San Francisco Museum Of Modern Art (SFMOMA) Artists Gallery is presenting “Finding the Figure,” a selection of work by eight artists for whom the representation of the human figure is paramount. From the dramatic, yet traditional nudes of Kim Frohsin to the quite untraditional and even eccentric works of Michael Fram, the show represents a complete cross section of the best in figurative work.
Dave Balona, Rodger Jacobsen, Deanna Forbes, David Tomb, Elena Zolotnitsky, and Marie Van Elder work in a variety of media, yet all painstakingly approach the challenge of capturing the essence of another human being. And what a challenge it can be. When Dave Balona was asked why he painted the figure, he recollected the difficulties involved, and said, “I guess I must like to be frustrated.”
Frustrations aside, the results speak for themselves. Balona’s works, like those of all of the artists in the show, offer an absorbing glimpse into how artists perceive their fellow human beings. The works say as much about the artists as the people they portray
“Finding the Figure” is at the SFMOMA Artists Gallery through April 22. For more information see www.sfmoma.org/museumstore/artists_overview.html.
– Jovanne Reilly
Images: “Lisa” by Kim Frohsin (top); “Lee In Plaid” by David Tomb (middle) |
