Photos by Michael Robinson
LEFT: 'Untitled', Donette Zacca
RIGHT: 'At Peace' by Andranique Morgan

Michael Robinson, Gleaner Writer

IT'S NOT too difficult to figure out the theme of the exhibition, 'emBODYment', now on at Revolution Gallery. It's a little harder to figure out how curator Carol Campbell got 40 pieces to fit in the space without it feeling cramped.

For the most part, the pieces are small to medium sized. Keriena Changfatt's untitled etching is a tiny intricate look at the body's internal structure. Paula Daley's three miniature panels deal with the conceptual issues of having a body ('What is Man') and the finite nature of our physical shell ('The Clock is Ticking').

Watercolour series

Much of the work hangs on the wall, like Eugenio d'Melon's ink and watercolour series, focusing on the female form, mounted next to Donnette Zacca's photographs and wall sculptures. The works coexist without fighting for space, partially due to the conceptual cohesion, but also due to the decisions of what to put where. Busier intricate pieces, like David Marchand's mixed media rendition with animal forms fused with human body parts, are placed in close proximity to more sedate works, such as Andranique Morgan's 'At Peace' and a pair of black and white photographs ('Grace' and 'Lean') by Marlon James.

Across the room, Stefan Clarke's black-and-whites use props along with the human form to create a conceptually charged series. Wings in one photograph create an angel climbing planks assembled in the form of what appears to be a cross. The same planks combined with chains lend a mortal gravity to the pieces that is quite compelling.

The utilisation of the gallery's floor space also aids in the accommodation of creations from Phillip Supersad, who is represented here by two ceramic sculptures and a couple of drums. The inclusion of the drums is an unexpected approach to the central theme. Created from the bodies of goats, drums usually fuel the art produced by the human body - dance.

Mazola's 'Mother and Child' and his other untitled piece deal with humanity, the social and spiritual nature of the body, as does Coyotito Bennett's 'Burden Bearer', and 'If Only I Could Touch You 2'. Margaret McGhie ('In the Garden') and Nosbourne Lee ('Upliftment') also take a spiritual tack with religious overtones. McGhie's white earthenware bowl is glazed with bright complementary colours, while Lee's welded sculpture remains uncoloured, keeping the focus on the form of his upward reaching figure.

'EmBODYment' is part of Kingston On The Edge (KOTE), the not-so-underground art festival celebrating its second anniversary this year. As such, it features the works of 20 artists, combining the efforts of veteran creators with pieces from up-and-coming artists, in keeping with KOTE's stated aim to produce diverse offerings for the public while giving the artists more exposure.

The exhibition runs until July 12.