East Gallery
William Bennett Berry
July 11 thru September 11, 2005
William
Bennett Berry’s exhibit exudes influences of 17th century Dutch
figurative work intertwined with his own ideals of contemporary culture
within a consumer-based society. From royal portraits to pastoral scenes
of life, figurative works tell stories and allegories upon which political
or social undertones may be interpreted by the audience or obviously
communicated by the artist. The narrative as exposed through figurative
compositions is a technique that transcends the boundaries of time
within the art realm.
The works included in this exhibition were produced between January
and June, 2005. Berry found inspiration in the Dutch baroque and in
the works of more contemporary artists such as Alex Katz and John Currin.
Berry said the subject matters are combinations derived from magazine ads, his own photography and family albums. “Vincent Van Gogh borrowed from Millet, Gerhard Richter from Duchamp, and I borrow from, among other things, the J. Crew catalog,” explained Berry. “Concept should not take over aesthetic, and aesthetic should not trivialize a concept. Social norms are still a motif in the series, but the works as a whole are more a tongue-in-cheek social commentary.”
His extensive body of work overshadows Berry’s youthful existent.
He radiates a remarkable ability to reestablish concepts and techniques
of past masters with delicacy and originality.
Berry, son of Oklahoma artist Nick Berry, received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Denison University in Granville, Ohio, and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Oklahoma. Berry has studied with renowned artist George Bogdanovitch and in 2001 with Lenny Pitkin at the prestigious Pont-Aven School of Art in France. From the east to west coast, Berry has participated in solo and group exhibitions. MidFirst Bank, the University of Oklahoma Health and Science Center, the Muckenthaler Cultural Center Foundation in Fullerton, Ca, among others, are organizations that have acquired his work. Several publications including Southwest Art and The Sunday Oklahoman have featured Berry’s work.
Berry’s work can also be seen at the Howell Gallery in Oklahoma
City, www.howellgallery.com.
Sponsored by the Oklahoma Arts Council. For more information contact Scott Cowan or Karen Sharp at 405.521.2931 or scott@arts.ok.gov