Sacred Moments
R Keaney Rathbun
Waterstone Gallery
6|30 - 8|1|2010
R Keaney Rathbun's compelling artwork spans an array of media and motifs from bas relief sculpture to silkscreen printing, stained glass, and needlepoint. His work leads the viewer to discover moments of sacredness in life’s experiences, from walking the dog to waking with the memory of a vivid dream fresh in our minds.
This installation promises to be a treat, transforming Waterstone Gallery into a street side chapel and inviting us to share Rathbun's rich inner world.
A cornerstone of this installation is a portfolio of Keaney's vibrant silkscreen prints. Rich and complex in subject matter, personal symbolism, and color, many are created with up to sixty silkscreened layers, giving them startling impact for works that can easily be described as miniatures.
Several in this series are framed and presented in storyboard fashion with five individual prints per panel with images reminiscent of cave-paintings and pictographs from America's southwest. Others convey a quirky medieval quality, with Rathbun’s personal religious iconography.
My favorites are Rathbun’s sculptures: engaging, playful, and symbolic, they suggest and reflect innocence, wonder, and vulnerability.
Rathbun's individual works carry familiar and enigmatic themes that bypass the intellect and go straight to the heart of the matter. They have the effect of transforming the viewer’s perceptions, effectively turning the artist into a shaman, which, I believe, is the unique role of an artist. If this is true, then R. Keaney Rathbun is a master.
I highly recommend viewing this installation at the preview reception.
Sacred Moments, R Keaney Rathbun
June 30 - August 1, 2010
Preview Reception: Wednesday, June 30, 6-9pm
Waterstone Gallery, 424 NW 12th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97209
http://www.WaterstoneGallery.com
image: The Intentions Of Others, mixed-media
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