Fat PaintingBY SAMANTHA SALZINGERExhibition Essay from Fat Painting at the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, October 12, 2002 – December 1, 2002. John Bailly ’s work utilizes historical references to depict the power of the unity of the human experience over the individual experience. It also recognizes that much of what we identify as “personal” is entirely dependent upon what we inherit from the collective experience. The series Jericho depicts scenes of men with arms and fists rising up out of the crowds, merging together in a unit of abstraction. Bailly questions the validity of the individual with both his method of working and the subject matter he paints. He described himself as a “cultural conduit,” creating works in an automatic manner that combines abstraction and representational painting. He explains, “When I paint, it is almost as if I am not. I attempt to abandon individual decision making and expression in order to reflect the broader historical movements.” Bailly holds a BFA in painting and printmaking from Florida International University (1990) and a MFA in painting from Yale University (1993). Bailly has been exhibiting since 1987. His most recent solo exhibition was Young Lions : A Site-Specific Installation, Frances Wolfson Gallery, Miami (2002). Other recent group exhibitions include Mirror Mirror , Bernice Steinbaum Gallery, Miami (2002) and Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho , Dorsch Gallery, Miami (2000). Bailly’s work is in many permanent collections including the Art Museum at Florida International University, University of Miami, and Center for Labor Research. Samantha Salzinger holds an MFA from Yale University and is Curator of Exhibitions at the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood. This essay was published in the catalogue for the Fat Painting exhibition at the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood in October 2002. |
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