Bizzare 'Strange Soup' Coming to Gallery 51
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — MCLA Gallery 51 will present “Strange Soup,” an exhibition of striking, colorful, bizarre and challenging artwork by North Adams-based artists Wayne Hopkins and Cathy Wysock, on March 29.An opening reception, free and open to the public, will be held on Thursday, March 29 from 5 - 7 p.m.
Hopkins and Wysocki are fairly recent transplants to the Berkshires from Albuquerque, N.M. Last summer, North Adams was introduced to their respective works through the exhibition, “End of an Empire,” at Grass Gallery, a part of DownStreet Art.
Wysocki’s imagery is bright, bold and organic; simultaneously captivating and repulsive, according to Ven Voisey, MCLA Gallery 51 manager.
“Disfigured, mutated characters rummage through a vibrant toxic environment. Her works are primarily a combination of mixed-media paintings on plywood and mixed-media sculpture on a foundation of paper mache,” Voisey said.
The works shown in “Strange Soup” are from her series entitled “LUMPLANDERS.”
Hopkins’ paintings find themselves rooted in a much more familiar, but equally disturbing and conflicted environment, according to Voisey.
“Often resembling a combination of war zone, protest, and outdoor urban habitat, Hopkins’ worlds are an uneasy balance of reserve, structure and horror,” Voisey said.
“Strange Soup” will be on display through April. MCLA Gallery 51 is at 51 Main St. in North Adams and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call 413-664-8718, or go to www.mcla.edu/Gallery51.
