Priscilla Read – Art Journey

One highlight at the Chrysalis Studio Open House and Group
Show at SOMArts yesterday evening were portraits by young
printmaker Owen Christoph.  He has done a number of portraits
prior to this, but created these as part of a high school project
on history of gay rights.  He chose two heros and two
antiheros from an important era to portray in his series.  I
love the style, somewhat like a wanted poster, used
through the prints to give them a consistent quality. Each person
is portrayed with with the same attention to detail and human
dignity.  At first glance, the are all “just” people. 
This adds to the impact of the pieces.  To understand history,
one must look at the heros and the villains.  One question we
wondered about was, “would anyone want a portrait of Anita Bryant
or Dan White?” And the answer was, “Yes, to complete the
set”.  Together, they make a powerful statement.