John Slaby’s The Prison shows the artist with a length of white fabric covering his eyes, ears, nose and mouth and also binding his hands together. The work is part of his ”Inappropriate for a Public Space” exhibit, currently showing at Archway Gallery. The show examines sex, violence, religion and death. ”I thought it would be interesting to have a show centered on these topics because most people don’t display — at least not commercially — work that might in any way be controversial,” Slaby tells us. It’s not that Slaby wants to shock his audiences, but he doesn’t want to not shock them either.
”[The Prison] started with my frustration with the limitations to my senses, my inability to taste certain things or hear certain things, but it became more than that. A lot of my work has to do with death and aging. It seems the binds that tie us get tighter as we get older. Our senses become more dull, our mind slows down. Basically, life takes its toll. But The Prison is also about the struggle of the spirit with the body. We want to be free, but we’re stuck in a body that won’t let us.”
Other works in the show include the painting Jesus Christmas, which shows a small statue of Christ on a crucifix that has been decorated with multicolored Christmas lights. There’s also Sunset, in which a beautiful evening sky fills the top half of the painting, while a series of mono-toned images of war fill the bottom, each showing soldiers shooting at bound captives.
There’s an opening reception with the artist at 5 p.m. on November 3. Regular viewing hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Through November 29.
Nov. 3-29, 2012
This article appears in Jun 14-20, 2012.