Canvassing the hood
Certified 2 Satisfy
What if John Singer Sargent trolled Craigslist?
Craigslist to canvas: Isn't it nice to see her back again?
Published: February 1, 2012
Certified 2 Satisfy
What: An erotic art show featuring the paintings of local artist Marty Winters.
Where: Funhouse Gallery in the Russell Industrial Center, Third Floor, Bldg. 2, 1600 Clay St., Detroit; funhousedetroit.com.
When: Opening reception 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4.
The work of Detroit-based artist Marty Winters often centers on the figure; in Certified 2 Satisfy he narrows his subject matter even further, focusing primarily on the women whose pictures until recently populated the adult section of Craigslist. Winters' oil paintings faithfully replicate the amateur photos, showing the nearly nude escorts provocatively posed in front of bathroom mirrors or lying spread-eagle on beds. The juxtaposition of highbrow technique and lowbrow subject matter results in alluring and often strangely poignant images that take these anonymous and unremarkable women from the transitory digital world into the relatively permanent realm of fine art. Of his work, Winters says: "It seemed natural to me to take these fleeting digital images — often shot with a cell phone camera in a mirror — and turn them into small oil paintings as both a way of preserving the images and documenting the women historically. Each painting is my best attempt to replicate what I see, cropped just as found with no editing. The idea was to develop a technique that was filtered through John Singer Sargent and Gil Elvgren, with the result being my take on classic pinup illustration and boudoir portraiture." Winters has a BFA in painting from Western Michigan University, and his pieces range from the traditional oils on display in Certified 2 Satisfy to mixed-media works. He's displayed in a number of group shows around town, including regularly participating in the Dirty Show and the People's Arts Festival. Along with Winters' Craigslist escorts, the show also includes a display of vintage Italian erotic movie posters in the Sideshow gallery. The whole shebang displays through March 10.
> Email Megan O'Neil
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