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Jen Lobo’s Fury Creatures

Wednesday, October 6, 2010 · 2 Comments

Paintings by Pasadena, California-based artist Jen Lobo. I found Jen’s work through Black Maria, a gallery in Glendale, CA with a great roster of offbeat West Coast art. Jen’s paintings border on the verge of kitsch but are also unsettling and very engaging – quite an unusual combination.

.“Jen Lobo has a great affinity for all things feathered and furry, avian and aquatic. Her work is a testament to that love for the natural world with a blend of human themes of love, loss, tragedy and triumph.” – Black Maria

I must admit I had a strong negative reaction to “Let Them Talk” (below left) when I first saw it – I was uncomfortable and mildly disgusted. I think I was reacting to the deer’s strange human qualities, its alien pink tongue and the odd fleshy background, but that doesn’t fully explain my visceral reaction.

I wanted to share this experience because a lot of really good art hits us deeply, perhaps subconsciously and causes this kind of emotional response. When people say they “hate” a piece of art I believe they are often responding to that kind of subconscious discomfort, but ideally we move beyond these initial reactions and are inspired to stop and reflect.

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Tags: Art

2 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Emily Fitzhugh // Oct 7, 2010 at 10:32 am

    The deer with the ribbons is absolutely wonderful. I would love to have a print framed. So glad to find your blog, I too am always on the hunt for new indie art.. xoxo ~Emily

  • 2 Kate // Oct 7, 2010 at 7:18 pm

    Thanks so much, Emily, and welcome to Art Hound!

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