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THEMES FROM GREEK MYTHOLOGY EXPLORED IN BEN SHAHN GALLERIES EXHIBIT
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The overarching themes portrayed in Greek mythology, such as love, betrayal, and heroism, are explored in a one-person exhibit of works by New Jersey artist Alaine Becker at the Ben Shahn Galleries at William Paterson University in Wayne from September 14 through October 16, 2009. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. A reception for the exhibit will be held on Sunday, September 20, from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
The exhibit, “The Way Things Are,” features Becker’s large-scale pastel and oil pastel works on paper, in which she uses figurative forms combined with abstract elements to create a narrative with powerful emotional impact.
“The way things are…this is the way they have always been. Love, lust, betrayal, jealousy, heroism, honor, loyalty, stories of origin, the need for power and greed— these are all themes in Greek mythology and traits that make us human,” Becker explains. “I wanted to explore these stories without being illustrative; knowledge of the individual myths is not important.”
Her drawings are stripped down to abstracted forms that suggest the essence of humanity as well as fundamental characteristics from the myths she explores. These drawings utilize a monumental scale to make the pieces appear larger than they actually are and strive to create a heroic quality that is consistent with the subject matter.
Becker, who is a resident of South Orange, received a 2008 New Jersey State Council on the Arts Individual Artist Fellowship for Works on Paper. In that same year, she was awarded a grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation for an artist residency at the Vermont Studio Center. She has exhibited her works in numerous one-person and group exhibitions throughout New Jersey, including the Pierro Gallery, the New Jersey Center for Visual Arts, Montclair State University, and City Without Walls. She holds a bachelor of fine arts degree from the State University of New York, College at Purchase.
The exhibit is one of three shows on view concurrently in the Ben Shahn Galleries. “Paterson: The City as Metaphor,” on view in the South Gallery, features artistic interpretations of William Carlos Williams’ modern masterpiece, the poem Paterson. On view in the Court Gallery is the annual exhibit of works by the William Paterson University art faculty.
This exhibit is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Ben Shahn Galleries are wheelchair-accessible. Large-print handouts are available. For additional information, please call the Ben Shahn Galleries at William Paterson University, 973-720-2654.
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September 1 , 2009
www.wpunj.edu
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