David Fobes at the Athenaeum

In a previous article, I made reference to comments made by Alain Badiou, a French philosopher, and Sebastian Smee, art critic for the Boston Globe. Badiou insisted that “art must be revoluftion” and Smee argued for an artist’s “sustained engagement” during the art-making process. Smee believed too much of what was being produced today were half-hearted attempts or gestures posturing as real ideas. I agreed with both men and wondered “Where’s the beef?” in art today.


An artist’s sustained engagement can be as much a credit to independence and tenaciousness as it is to his or her desire to maintain an artwork’s intended meaning and integrity while it is on exhibit.  And to some extent, this might result in captivating and exploiting a viewer’s five senses – sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Art is not always what it appears to be. This phenomenon has never been as omnipresent in contemporary art today as it has in the past as artists strive to provide a full surround sound experience. The point is that an artist can go beyond the simple gesture of mark-making by delving into the core essence of what they are fabricating by bringing their ideas to life. Technological advances in both art and science have only enhanced the possibilities. Almost anything goes.


It appears then that artistic process and creativity (or innovation) are derived from the investigation of seeing what will happen if artists do this with that and with whom. They are alchemists to a certain extent, knowing how and when to effect change internationally or even locally. The manner in which they do so politically, visually, or in a community can determine the relevancy and importance of their work and how it might eventually affect us.

Take the artist Anish Kapoor, for example. He could have joined the growing ranks of museums and petition signers lobbying for the release of detained Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. Instead he chose not to participate in an exhibition he was asked to be part of in China, which is literally a radical use of “cause and effect” (detention => no exhibit) and a sustained engagement if not a belief system. Artists now have the freedom and the luxury to operate across a broader spectrum of personal, political, and artistic beliefs and parlay them into concrete actions, and in the best case scenario, into works of art.

Longtime San Diego artist David Fobes knows something about this; his unwavering dedication to his craft is hardly disputable but not always easy to maintain. Nonetheless, Fobes has successfully managed to cut a mean swath of color with new works on display at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in La Jolla. I’ve followed Fobes’ artistic career closely over the years and have visited his home and studio on several occasions. I was first introduced to his artwork by Doug Simay, formerly of Simayspace Gallery downtown, and through various exhibits of which one in particular, the Cannon Biennale, caught my attention.