What Whitney says - ROB TARBELL

Whitney Strickler is Migration’s current intern. She is a 4^th year art history student at the University of Virginia. Laura and I have asked Whitney to review some shows currently up in Charlottesville (keeps you from having to read my yammering). Many thanks to Whitney, for these thoughtful reviews.

Rob Tarbell - The Smokes @ Les Yeux de Monde

Rob Tarbell’s works are created with a process involving smoke. He burns sentimental things such as photographs using the smoke to create the images. He claims the burning of these types of objects removes their emotional burden. His artist statement says that he likes to use smoke because it makes both good and bad marks. An example he gives of the negative effects of smoke is the damage it did to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel; but when smoke is controlled and given a new purpose it can be good. This series portrays performing animals: horses, dogs, elephants, zebras, and bears. Tarbell likens the use of smoke to the choice of using performing animals in that "something that once had a practical or natural use is removed from that environment at the expense of its original purpose. Transforming its original purpose, transforming it and replacing it in the form of entertainment art." In the way that an animal is taken out of its natural habitat and trained to jump through hoops or balance on platforms, smoke is removed from its destructive purpose in nature and controlled by the artist to create a new image.

At first I thought the works were charcoal on paper, when I read the medium was actually smoke I found the works slightly more intriguing. One picture in particular of a horse caught my eye. The pattern the smoke had left on the paper makes the horse look ghost-like. The wispy smoke lines trail off the horse’s body and its white eyes all add to the perception that the dark horse is charging out of the white expanse directly towards you. This piece, being one of the few that was framed, was enhanced by the glass in front of it because the light of the gallery shining on the glass gave the white paper a glow adding to the eeriness of the "ghost horse." I don’t think this was necessarily the artist’s intention, but, for me, the effect gave the piece life and movement. Overall, I found the exhibition very interesting though it may be more beneficial to the viewer to understand the artist’s methods and goals before seeing the works… Tarbell’s works require a deep contemplation to understand the artist’s agenda.