Edward Beckett
Edward Beckett, a symbolic expressionist, communicates the unseen, the intangible; he paints emotions and aspirations, giving form to these and the intertwined relationships of human existence. The artist has created a somewhat standardized and recognizable visual vocabulary to communicate the very real interconnectedness in life.
Beckett's mediums include print making, acrylic painting, and ceramics. Born in West Virginia, he studied with June Kilgore at Marshall University in Huntington. He then went on to complete his undergraduate work at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.
Edward Beckett's art has received solo exhibition opportunities on both West and East (North American) coasts as well as a recent two-person exhibition at Trenton, New Jersey's Ellarslie City Art Museum. The recipient of many awards, his work has been cited by art critic Peter Frank, and curator of prints at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC, Frank Gettings, among others.
Gordon Fuglie, Director, Laband Art Gallery, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, points out that "Beckett attempts in his paints and prints a reinvigoration of the 'marvelous', a notion that gave a charge to the early images of the Surrealists. He differs from them, however, in that rather than creating a new reality, he reckons directly with his time and place through symbols that embody the myriad possibilities and perplexities of communication."
Artist Statement by Edward Beckett
Welcome to the world of visible sound.
Having worked the last several years on the depiction of time and other invisible forces that wind their way around and through us and that are indeed affecting our lives, it was a natural extension to begin the process of showing the invisible world of sound—musical sound to be exact— coming at us from a myriad of sources.
When possible, I have created these images in the presence of the composer, performer(s) or orchestra in a live setting. The sound waves of the melodies and refrains wash over me and visual images develop in my mind. The sketchbook that is ever present in my hands, then receives the images.
This automatic
drawing or auto automatism espoused by the Surrealist artists and adopted by
some of the Abstract Expressionists like Pollock and Motherwell, is the base for
all of the images in this show. In a few instances, the images were created
while listening to recordings but most of the art in this show was begun as
harmonic vibrations from live musicians. Many of the musicians have been kind
enough to autograph the sketches created through the influence of their creative
performances.
I feel that it is important to show the ink drawing from which the pieces were
developed. The connection to the raw line is important to understanding the
energy that went directly to the paper and is in turn connected directly to the
work of art.
Music is diverse in its style and content. Different methods have been used to
depict the variety of musical styles but the connective iconography of forms and
feelings are a continuous thread that weaves through the whole body of work.
Some music produces images of volume, harmony and drama while others find themselves showing a narrative of forms. I don't edit what my mind's eye sees. The varieties of music experiences have all produced their own unfolding story. You will find secular and sacred reactions in this show; spirituality and message abound in these pieces.
When I look at the art, I can still hear the music. I encourage my viewers to listen as well; listen to what you hear and pay attention to what you feel. I hope that the music in the art will speak to you on some level and excite your visual hearing to blossom into an image of sound.
You may be familiar with the piece or pieces that are the root impression for these works; in that case you will have an even richer experience and possibly a revelatory one at that. Listen to the colors, meditate on the line and allow yourself to feel the Visual Song.
another year in LA is located at 2121 N. San Fernando Road, #13, Los Angeles, CA 90065
Gallery phone: 323-223-4000