Artists Keely Finucane and Rick Naimark collaborated to display their work at Coe House in downtown Phoenix Friday as part of a showcase dubbed “A Matter of Trust.”
Bright colors and interesting shapes with occasional humor littered the exhibition, with various artworks setting a provocative tone. Many paintings featured a set of plump, red lips–sometimes in a neutral position and sometimes biting down on the lower lip.
Although the show featured two artists working together closely, often on the same surface, the natural dissonance expected was absent. The pieces flowed masterfully; I wouldn’t have known it was the work of two had the artists not told me, or had I not read their names on the credit papers.
Multiple pieces were collaborations between the pair, but each artist also displayed their own work.
I’m a huge fan of bright colors and non-traditional mediums–Naimark checked both of those boxes with “Dreamin.'” He coated the canvas with thick layers of dried paint to create its textured, pockmarked surface, resembling the color built up on a paint palette.
Finucane’s piece titled “Pink Tutus” made me chuckle, as it was the number two written twice with a pink background. A pink “two-two.” It was my favorite piece.
When the artists worked together, they produced work that was stunningly unique. The piece “Pensive” features lips on one canvas with paint dripping down in the foreground and background.
The work felt edgy in some way; it was the lips coupled with the blue paint dripping down. I liked the feeling. It gave off the kind of power that usually comes from wearing leather boots or fishnet stockings, giving it sex appeal.
Of course, the flagship piece was titled “A Matter of Trust” and is a portrait of what looks like both artists. It encompassed the energy the rest of the show gave me: subtly aggressive, slightly sexy and incredibly beautiful.
I was impressed by both the imagination and talent displayed at “A Matter of Trust.” As the first art show I’ve attended in Phoenix, it has elicited an excitement to see what else the city and these two artists have in store.
The show will run again at the Coe House on Feb. 1 at 5:00 pm.
Contact the reporter at nhthomps@asu.edu.
