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Review of graymatters

Rows of 8x10 mixed-inkjet-on-newsprint images of unclothed female bodies, frontally rendered, cropped above the shoulders and below the knees, endlessly, generically, reiteratively the same, seemingly anonymous, differentiated in their serial mechanical reproduction only by their individual titles and the distinct found-objects that head their acephalous torsos. To date, more than twenty-five discrete images comprise the in-progress series, "graymatters," a title that provides the first clues to understanding these works in series. A common euphemism for the brain, gray matter pluralized as graymatters suggests not only the cephalic organ, but also that brains do indeed matter. And by implication the found objects, as substitutes for faces, the normative signifiers of identity, matter. Yet encased as they are in translucent envelopes, the objects are also literally turned into gray matter, as the translucency that purports to contain, if not completely reveal, also obscures them. Thus this gray matter forces the interested viewer to approach the facade of torsos in order to decipher individual meaning. The title of the individual print helps in this process. Upon inspection, the envelope surmounting one torso holds a generic "ADMIT ONE" ticket. The title of this print, "monogamy," reveals a pithy, wry witticism about the nature of monogamy. Further looking indicates that sharp wit and clever humor run throughout the epigrammatic titles of the series. Another envelope holds a fragment of the GE logo. The title of this print is "brightgirl." "temporary" holds a common small yellow post-it sheet, the kind used for quick, disposable, repositionable, temporary notes. The torso in the print, "presentation is everything," has its envelope carefully positioned and held with the black mounting corners typically used to affix photographs in albums. "southern girl" holds a pink Sweet'N Low package, while "everything is not sugar, spice and nice" holds an Equal package. "of course I trust you" holds a fragment of a legal form with an X at the signature/date line. "eating a romance novel" holds a fragment from a Prince angelhair pasta box.

While the individual prints are effective on their own, particularly in their wry wit, epigrammatic humor, and disjunction between the generic nature of the unidealized nude and the particularly pithy word or phrase tied and titled to an objet trouvé, the group as a whole offers a powerful insight into the complexly expressive possibilities of female gray matters. The series suggests the nature of uniqueness within conformity, individuality within collectivity, difference within conventionality. As such it intimates to all of us -- man or woman -- the distinctly human nature of what it means to be an individual for whom graymatters.

Robert Bambic - San Antonio, TX