Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The = (GA)

May 14, 2006
Section: Arts & Books
Edition: Main; The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Page: <= span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Geneva'>K6

VISUAL ARTS
Beyond boundaries
Regional artists a reflection of world at large
= JERRY CULLUM

REVIEW =

= "Within State Lines"

= Through June 24. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Museum of Contemp= orary Art of Georgia, 1447 Pea= chtree St., Atlanta. 404-881-1109, www.mocaga.org.

= Verdict: A beautifully presented selection of statewide art.

= Yes, there is Georgia art outside Atlanta<= /st1:City>.

= Annette Cone-Skelton, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia, remi= nds us of this obvious fact in the exhibition "Within State Lines."= She has chosen to present two artists each from Athens<= /st1:City>, Augusta, LaGrange, and Savannah who have not previously exhibited at MOCA GA.

= As you might expect from artists who (for the most part) teach in colleges and universities in these four locales, there's only occasional recognition of regional subject matter.

= Tom Nakashima of Augusta comes closest with his painting "Black and White Orchardhouse,"= and even this seems to bear a message beyond documentation. (Compare his "Huddled Masses," which appears to be a simple landscape until = you notice the collage of newspaper stock market quotes and photos of America= ns of various ethnicities.)

= Carter Davis might reflect aspects of Athens in his dizzying combination of bits of cityscape that don't quite fit together, but that is scarcely self-evident. There is certainly little of= Savannah in Pan= g-Chieh Hsu's brilliantly composed "Happy Together," a tightly painted still life combining candle, bird cage, glass vessel and cut of raw meat.=

= But of course, that is the point. Most art responds to global currents, not local ones. Margaret Reneke's scratchboard "Hercules and the Sea Monster&q= uot; reflects Greek mythology, not LaGrange. John Lawrence's "Vanitas Series" of black-and-white photographs includes a few possible LaGra= nge markers (a Southern leaf -- magnolia? -- adjacent to a classic Greek port= rait bust in "Oracle at Delphi"),= but most of his objects are generalized.

= Brian Rust's wonderfully carved stacked-object sculptures -- featuring oversize hearts, hands and less identifiable things -- succeed as gloriously as the other work in this exhibition, without showing any particular Augusta inflections. And Julio Garcia's exquisitely worked semi-geometric paintin= gs bear no indications of his S= avannah location or personal origins.

= The glistening strands of Andi Steele's monofilament piece "Three Ways Out" are responsive to place, but only to the gallery across which t= hey stretch. The work of this Watkinsville (Athens) artist belongs to a global family of art that makes the viewer reconsider space by blocking the way.

= "Within State Lines" demonstrates the stylistic and geographic diversity of = Georgia art. Sophisticated work is also being done in locales from Statesboro, Milledgeville and Carrollton= to Swainsboro and beyond.

= Significant art is shown in Dahlonega, Dalton, Louisville and Concord. (Yes, the last two are in Georgia.) Some of it responds to local circumstances.

= Cone-Skelton's show should begin a dialogue about the art out there that is too often overlooked.

= Works at Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia represent many areas of the state: = Above: "Black and White Orchardhouse," Tom Nakashima, Augusta.

=

= Works at Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia represent many areas of the state: Left: "Taking Another Trip," Carter Davis, Athens.

=

= Works at Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia represent many areas of the state: = Far left: "LaFon's Orchids," John Lawrence, LaGrange.

Copyright 2006 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution