TOTEM
Brad Davis, Doug Hammett, Outi Harma, and Stephanie Shaw
Art 105 Gallery, Pasadena, CA
May 18 - June 22, 2024
Video by L.A. Art Documents / www.laartdocuments.com
Welcome to "Totem," an art exhibition presented at Art 105 gallery in Pasadena, CA featuring the works of 4 artists: Brad Davis, Doug Hammett, Outi Harma, and Stephanie Shaw. A variety of mediums and a myriad of dazzling colors invite viewers to cast their gaze upwards, with works arranged vertically exemplifying the show's title. Totems in the traditional sense are sacred sculptural works frequently adorned with animals, spirit guides, ancestors, power objects, and symbols that remind and connect people to nature and the spirit realm and/or serve as emblems for a group or family unit.
Indeed the bond formed by each artist together creates a vibrant and soulful sensation within the gallery. The works explore what can be found in the relationship between the opposing spaces of above and below, inside and outside, the seen and the unseen. Individual artworks are harmoniously grouped and stacked elevating the viewing experience and offering ample opportunity to reflect on archetypal concepts and the wondrous multidimensional universe we all embody.
Artist Brad Davis creates repurposed sculptures composed of discarded everyday objects like metal dishes, pots, pans, lamps, and other household objects - they are infused with new vitality by his skillful arrangement. Knowing that some of them can be reconfigured makes it even more interesting to imagine the endless possibilities. They resemble sacred architectural forms, like church spires and Buddhist stupas. Additionally, Davis presented paintings utilizing a multilayer technique by applying paint and then scrapping the surface to make beautiful textures that radiate a warm and inviting palette.
Artist Outi Harma is a painter and drawer with a kaleidoscopic range of richly layered works. Playful and imaginative, her main motifs are human faces and animals merged into fantasy realms enhanced by the vertical arrangement. Originally from Finland, she has lived in California for three decades, drawing inspiration from her Nordic heritage and imbuing it with a California sensibility and vibrant philosophy toward life. Her bright colors possess a stimulating positive energy. Elements of improvisation and spontaneity weave their way into the works, inviting viewers to resonate even more with the magical and spiritual aspects of her work, which lend themselves perfectly to a series of oracle card decks.
Artist Doug Hammett’s works are both sculptural and two-dimensional, culled from a rich oeuvre spanning from performance art, theatrical costumes, and masks to two-dimensional paintings and drawings. His works are seeped in archetypal meaning and possess varied narrative interpretations. They often portray queer masculine figures or fantastical creatures with special and mysterious powers. Hammett presented functional masks used in performances and a stack of carved wooden sculptures. Hammett's assemblage art further embodies the concept of totem spirits by combining found objects with hand sculpted forms to create stunning visuals. His acrylic paintings in round and square formats make for a fascinating series that is pure alchemical magic of composition, color, and technique, working perfectly in line with the totem theme.
Artist Stephanie Shaw presents a series of bright-colored abstract sculptures along with portraits of whimsical humanoid figures in acrylic paint on wood. Shaw’s three-dimensional shapes contort themselves like puzzle pieces ecstatically exploring their greater potential by thinking outside the box and coming together in most enthralling ways. While retaining a rigid shape, the interplay of color in the stacked forms constantly moves the viewer's eye in lively motions every-which way. Her figurative paintings provoke curiosity and playful inquiry.
Indeed all four artists combine their individual aesthetics into a cohesive and euphorically executed whole surrounding the idea of Totem. They form stimulating relationships with each other that inspire an upbeat and uplifting journey that offers contemplation about the unique relationship between human imagination and creativity along with the natural and spiritual realms.