Ceremony (2002, oil and clothing on canvas, 96×108”) by Richard Neal
Review by Rebecca M. Alvin
There is a jarring, visceral impact that comes with a room full of Richard Neal’s work. Some of that can be explained by their tactile quality, as he uses a range of materials that includes everything from oil paint, collage, and charcoal, to Barbie dolls, books, and clothing. But there is something else going on that grabs you by the guts when you see these large-scale works all together. The intensity of the emotions behind the works, the dynamic quality to their compositions, the mixture of sorrow and anger; the works have been created over the past 25 years, but they reflect this moment in a way words cannot.
Curated by David Wright, who also wrote the book Richard Neal: Ever and Ever, the dominant message conveyed by this particular selection, hung in this particular order, is of as much significance as each individual work. In his book, Wright says, “There is a lot of fury here. There is a lot of pain. There is confusion. But there is also empathy and sensuality. There is the profoundly soul-revealing gaze. And there is integrity.”
It’s not unusual in contemporary art to find works that utilize novel items in their construction as a way to garner attention. And certainly, Neal’s Barbie at Fifty, ventures into that territory at first glance. But the overwhelming sense conveyed in these two rooms full of his exceptional work is one of conscientiousness, not whimsy. The materials are motivated by the desire to reproduce something specific and evocative of an emotion, condition, or thematic concern. For example, Prodigy, the portrait of a young person, his face peppered with piano keys, is a good example of content being accentuated through material in addition to the painted image itself. And then there are the colors—bold, striking choices that make each work speak to the other from around the room. Or a combination of materiality and color to create composition as in Ceremony, in which clothing is used in a large canvas to depict a fiery sunset, perhaps. Or maybe it is literal fire being represented. We can bring our thoughts to these images, take the titles or leave them, and ultimately decide for ourselves what they mean. But these are not paintings one can shrug off or turn away from, that’s for sure.
The experience of seeing these works all together is one that requires time—not only time to look at each and reflect in the space, but also later in the day to process the emotions they call to the surface. It’s an extraordinary show, perfect for putting the collective chaos of the moment into perspective.
Richard Neal: Ever and Ever is on view at PAAM, 460 Commercial St., Provincetown, through November 11. For more information call 508.487.1750 or visit paam.org.
