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Review #1
Edvard Munch’s Skrik comes to mind as does the effects of MDMA. Intriguing to say the least, Jayme McGowan’s works are something to see. The most present theme seems to be connections. Strings, lace, telephone poles are placed among the myriad of similar faces. Perhaps a poetic suggestion to the interconnectedness found in apparent sameness of humanity or maybe just the result of one crazy trip at LoveFest 2007. This is definitely something to see. Just keep Einstein in mind – and a bit of Scissor Sisters on your iPod, definitely adds to the experience
- B. Plague McLovin , V.P. Hawaiian Correspondent
Review #2
If you want to see the internal struggles of an artist that constantly cuts away at her soul and fights with inner demons then this is a must see. McGowan's abstract self portraits manage to tear out the inner workings of her mind and soul and portray them through
thought bubbles on clotheslines and her fighting with herself . It is a very deep look into the artist soul but at the same time being surrounded by paintings of the same person brings about the idea that the artist
may be a little egocentric… maybe.
-Garbage The Cat
Review #3
Jayme’s strangely contorted figures are painted in ambiguous and surreal landscapes. Some are interesting, like the girl with baby doll parts floating around her in some bloody
- By Cain Able
---Review #4
Do yourself a favor. Walk yourself over to the Witt Gallery this week to visit Jayme McGowan's exhibition of paintings and drawings. It will certainly be the highlight of your otherwise mundane week. Step through the doorway, into this bright but quiet gallery, and enjoy a moment of sincere and honest artwork.
McGowan's exploration of self is movingly documented in this collection. Although the artist herself revealed that not all works are intented to be self-representations, the collection nonetheless 'reads' as self portraits. The faces depicted, whether they be hers or someone else's, encompass a wide range of human emotion: youthful melancholy, quiet happiness, humble integrity. Broad brush strokes, unusual perspectives, and courageous vulnerability interact with success. McGowan shows great promise as a painter, drawing upon past sources to create a neo-impressionistic style all her own, as if reinterpreted for a new generation.
-BaLaLa
Review #5
Commendable effort by a girl who appears to be battling inner demons, or at least some residual teen angst. Many paintings contain strings connecting figures and body parts; twin girls featured in two paintings clasp each others hand. My inner Freud says, “Attachment issues?” (But my inner Freud is also coked out of his mind). The overall mood of the works are somewhat gloomy, but this is rather easily disregarded due to the mostly neutral and calm color schemes. I’m vaguely reminded of Yoshitomo Nara’s images; pretty colors and deceptively innocent looking girls, but there is more going on underneath.
Review #6
At the Witt Gallery this week is an exhibition of works by Jayme McGowan, including paintings, drawings, and a few pieces I would classify as “other”. The viewer is treated to themes of detachment and confinement, but the exhibition isn’t nearly as “dark” as this description may make it seem. The artist manages to represent the troubling themes that fuel her work in a surprisingly natural and comfortable way. Whether through the soft, smoky structure of her figures or the bold, playful colors of her palette, or through some other less-tangible quality, the artist is able to show the viewer that some of the darker things in life don’t have to be taboo. Nobody likes to feel anxious or scared, but nobody is immune to these feelings. Fear is ordinary.There is a fascinating dynamic running through this body of work; a play between the figures being alone and “cut-off” from others, and their desire to cut themselves free from the anxieties that bind them. I read this as an insightfully accurate representation of social anxiety: the victim feels alienated and detached from others, yet the real problem is one’s relationship with oneself, not with others. Ms. McGowan’s courage to address such personal themes in her art is admirable, and something that any artist should appreciate.
As you can well tell by now, I was very impressed with this exhibit. Too often, artists who work with “dark” themes feel the need to be over-the-top, in-your-face dark. Ms. McGowan shows that you can address these themes without being heavy-handedly grotesque, morbid, or shocking. The result is art that is surprisingly and refreshingly honest.
-Rrose Sélavy
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