Previous Exhibitions

 

THE REAL ME

March 10 - April 26

Open House & Free Workshop 6:30-8:00pm

 

 

 

"I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together."

--John Lennon

 

Artist, Carl Gombert, takes a look at the idea of personal identity and questions what it means to be who we are.  Is identity a function of personal choice:  Is it an immutable core or essence of self?  Is identity determined by others and their interpretation of behavior or characteristics based on social stigma?

 

Gombert has created a series called The Real Me which will be on view at Museo Art Academy & Gallery March 10 - April 26, 2008.  The show consists of 16 pastel and acrylic self portraits depicting essentially the same individual, except for variations in costume, hair style, and eye, skin or hair color.  The size and tilt of the head, the facial expression and the background are identical in each image.  The intended effect is to present a room of people who at first glance are extremely different, representing a wide range of races, ethnicities, lifestyles, occupations and so on, but who are nevertheless easily perceived as the same person.  The show asks viewers to consider whether we, as people are more different or more alike.  It further challenges viewers to confront both personal and public attitudes about race, ethnicity and class.

 

Gombert was born in Brimfield, Ohio in 1959.  He started taking painting lessons at the age of 14 with money he earned delivering newspapers.  He earned a BFA in Drawing from the University of Akron and an MFA in Painting from Kent State University.  he worked as a stagehand before pursuing a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Fine Arts at Texas Tech University.  He has exhibited in more than 150 shows throughout the country, and since 1993 has taught painting, drawing and art history at Maryville College in Tennessee.