Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking? is whimsical, witty, experimental and fun. Now in its third iteration at the Muckenthaler Center in Fullerton, this lively exhibition comes from the mind of arts writer Bondo Wyszpolski, curating a massive group show.
Each artist created an original piece for the exhibition, which began by chosen artists being encouraged to think outside their usual brush strokes.
Wyszpolski laid down a challenge to make the work unlike each artist’s usual style or technique, or to use different materials. He provided random, quirky titles for each to work from. Their titles were assigned with the spin of a wheel.
The curator (above, left) was inspired to take this unusual curatorial path after seeing what he felt was one too many shows on his home turf in the beach cities with “sunsets and the beach and the cliffs of Palos Verdes and pets and flowers…”
He worked with artists associated with the Palos Verdes Arts Center, where the show was first mounted, with artists Debbie Giese and Bernard Fallon adding a few more friends.
He relates that “who we thought of and invited to participate was done randomly. Sort of like, ‘Hmm, how about if I ask so-and-so?’ A few people declined, but most people said ‘Yes! It sounds like a fun idea!’”
According to Wyszpolski “What people will see who come to the show is how inventive artists are when you give them an offbeat title, although clearly some titles were much more offbeat than others, like Steve Shriver’s ‘Who’s Whistling at My Antiquities?’ or Ross Moore’s ‘I Could Tell She Was Mad By the Way She Parked Her Car’ or Karen Wharton’s ‘I Woke Up in King Kong’s Body.’ But also what I discovered is that when all the artists with their unusual, whimsical, or surreal pictures are seen together it really is more than the sum of its parts… and I think it is an amusing and intriguing show. Each brick in the wall has added up to quite a lovely mansion.”
He also worked to co-produce musical scoring for the show, writing lyrics to composer and friend Brad Webster’s music to fit some of the pieces in the show. This unusual adjunct to the artwork occurred because of a certain long pandemic that delayed the opening of the show, originally scheduled for March 2020, significantly.
“Brad proposed the idea of me writing lyrics based on my impression of the pictures, and then he would add music to my lyrics. I was up for the idea, and since we knew the show would be on hold for quite a while, we were able to complete about 22 or 23 songs [now on the show’s website].”
There are over 40 works by 35 artists in the show. Among my favorites are a poetic abstract from Hung Viet Nguyen, with a hint of gold in a sea of pink; and a richly textured 3D table-setting featuring an errant crab, created in layered cut canvas – a style she calls called exsculpainting, from Eileen Oda.
Susan Whiting‘s lush and lovely realism (shown below, first) and Larry Manning‘s charming and graceful acrylic work (shown below, second) are both terrific. Lynn Attig and Drica Lobo also stand out, among many other fine artists.
For a full list of all exhibiting , click here.
And for artworks that are cleverly subversive and sure to elicit smiles, go see the show. It’s a bright summer treat.
Muckenthaler Cultural Center, 1201 W. Malvern Ave, Fullerton. Closes July 31. Call (714) 738-6595 or visit TheMuck.org for hours.
– Genie Davis; photos by Genie Davis
A great idea and fun results! We all need to do more of this – mixing it up! Get over ourselves!
I hope all the artists will continue to explore more.
Your beautifully written review of this show is appreciated as well as the distance traveled by your friends and you to be there. It was the highlight when you arrived, it truly was moving and having your there made me so very happy. Thank you so much.