Places & Process: A New Look at Abstract Art

Byron Spicer

Jeffrey S. Mondy

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Total Risk, Freedom, Discipline

In the early 20th century abstraction marked a dramatic break from traditional or representational painting. Rejecting our known material world, abstraction presented a radically new aesthetic frontier. Unbound by form, it immerses us in purely emotional and spiritual sensations. Viewing abstract art is akin to observing nature, like starring out into the ocean. Whether an experience that is bewildering, enthralling, relaxing, or meditative, contemplation is demanded of the viewer.

This exhibition features recent works by two emerging Bay Area painters: Byron Spicer's densely layered stack paintings and Jeff Mondy's emotive and spiritual colorations. While in some respects these works employ established abstraction principles, such as an appeal to emotions and senses instead of cognitive forms, they are also a product of our times. The places these artists grew up in and the artistic processes they devise reflect our present society.

Spicer's stack paintings are strongly influenced by the liberal and culturally diverse Mission District of San Francisco, where he grew up in the 60's and 70's. As an ode to our present day media rich, channel surfing, web browsing culture, his works have an overwhelming visual effect at first. Gradually we are able to process the information and discern relationships between the various images.

Mondy's paintings are of a highly intuitive and spiritual nature, as an extension of having growing up in a religious household in the Midwest. His works seek to sooth the mind and re-energize the soul, serving as a shrine where one can privately contemplate the spirit.

Exhibition sponsored by and exhibited at SunLibrary, Sun Microsystems, Inc.