Junkyard Love

The CAMH remembers the work of a late Houston sculptor

Comments (0) By Kelly Klaasmeyer Thursday, Jun 8 2006

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The bluntness and chunkiness of Love's forms, their rounded edges and their stylization all contribute to their geniality. The small scale and frontal orientation of the works gear them for one-on-one interaction. They seem perfect for a desktop, where they could sit at eye level with the viewer. While Love also created a few large-scale works -- a giant jack and a big squarish wooden teddy bear are in the show -- they lack the cozy intimacy that makes the other pieces work so well.

The show is nicely installed using a lot of wall display cases. Not the way contemporary sculpture is usually presented, it works because the majority of Love's sculptures are frontally oriented. And there's something satisfying about seeing all these chummy works grouped together, without widely spaced arty preciousness.

Courtesy of the CAMH

Guarantees Are Often Worthless is one of Love's narrative pieces.

Details

Through July 2

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, 5216 Montrose, 713-284-8250.

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Love's art avoids the grandiose and focuses on the human. His small beautifully made pieces beg to be touched and held. This work isn't trying to awe us or intimidate us; it's trying to make friends.