Continuing through June 30, 2018
A simultaneous shows of works by John Bankston and Maria E. Pineres is a curious juxtaposition. Both artist's works are about human interactions, yet these artists approach their subject in quite different ways. San Francisco-based Bankston creates small to mid-sized narrative paintings that depict costumed male characters set in bright landscapes. Sometimes the male figure is alone in the work, but more often he is painted with others. Bankston's realistic illustrations explore the disparate relationships among the figures.
While Bankston paints, Pineres works in needlepoint. These obsessive and highly detailed pieces depict female wrestlers in different degrees of entanglement and in an array of positions. Each figure is cloaked in a camouflage pattern culled from different nations, reinforcing the idea of political conflict. At first glance the needlepoints appear to be abstractions, but the figures then emerge out of the textured background. This effect is a wonder to behold thanks to Pineres' masterful skill with this unusual medium.
