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Email PageSeason of the Witch
February 11, 2006- March 18, 2006
Paul Paddock
BUIA Gallery
541 W 23rd St Paul Paddock Birch 2 (2005) |  Paul Paddock Birch 3 (2005) |
Relishing the potential of a state of confusion, Paddock pairs down his watercolors to underline specific elements and set up dialogue and interaction amongst the figures. It remains questionable whether or not these children maintain an awareness of each other’s existence, or even if they are distinct entities (as opposed to being the same character or characters in several different circumstances). In "Quarantine" (2006), a girl is tied by her wrists to a birch tree. Above her, a cage hangs from the tree's limb, and another hangs from another tree nearby, while in the foreground an adult beaked-masked figure, with his back to the girl, holds a stick and looks sideways to the viewer. It is not clear if the masked figure has tied her there or played some role in her capture, or if he has even noticed her presence at all. His involvement in her circumstance is implicit, yet ambiguous. Clearly something has happened, but what that is is left to the viewer’s discernment, and so the semi-narrative unfolds.
The interjection of medieval imagery further delineates the meaning of the series and outlines an arena of psychological and physical torture, oppression, and strife: gibbets hang from the trees; boxes encase little girls’ heads; and a mysterious adult figure with a beaked mask presides, almost lurking, in the background. Disorientation coupled with blind, confused, innocent anger and aggression becomes the leitmotif. It is clear that the children are fighting something but that even they can barely tell what or who it is.
Paul Paddock received his BFA from The School of Visual Arts. Recently his work has been included in the Whitebox Silent Benefit Auction, In the Ring at BUIA, and the Tsunami Benefit auction. This September Paddock will participate in "Oink, Moo, Baa: Animals in Art" at the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art
Books and DVDs related to artists in this show
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