Docents at the Burchfield Penney Art Center had the pleasure of visiting the artist Ben Perrone in his gallery/studio/home on November 15, and enjoyed his fascinating art and warm hospitality. We had the opportunity to hear him talk about his work and to see pieces that are not in the public eye. I must comment on one, entitled Not Too Close, which bore certain similarities to the powerful Illusion/Delusion currently installed at the BPAC, yet introduced a figurative element that surprised and delighted. At first glance, the work appeared to be made up of irregularly folded and colored squares of paper that hung in columns from filament, such as the work on view at the Burchfield Penney.
There were ten rows of these filaments running from the wall out toward the viewer. It wan’t until you stood well back, however, that the unmistakable face of Chuck Close appeared! The colored paper , in different shades and hung at different depths from the viewer’s eye, created the face, much as Close’s own painted squares come together to become portraits. There were several other works that referred to fellow artists, including Van Gogh and Clifford Still. After time in the gallery, we were led down a long magic-mirrored hallway into Perrone’s studio, which featured a monumental anti-war work as well as an intriguing Van Gogh/ Monet reference.
Then it was on upstairs to the private quarters, a light-filled space adorned with carefully selected artworks and artifacts, pleasingly simple furnishings, lush greenery and a peaceful, private feel. This outing was a special, intimate treat, and we are grateful to the artist for indulging us.
Sarah Blackman
Sarah Blackman is an artist and docent at the Burchfield Penney.