An army of little green men invaded the Albright-Knox Art Gallery on Jan 11. Made by brushstrokes of gouache (a type of paint) on paper, these creatures are incorporated into every one of artist and Buffalo native Laylah Ali's displayed works.
Centered in front of a pale blue background, the subjects do not have a definitive setting. They are composed of round, green heads, with bugged-out, frog-like eyes, pinpoint nostrils, dark brown skin, striped pants, and tennis shoes. Most of the time, the subjects are rail-thin, wearing full or partial masks, and posed in various stances to indicate their attitudes and emotions. Without shadows or dimensions, they appear like cartoons, each one a near clone of the last.
Ali's work tends to focus on issues from the news and media. The scenes she portrays are generally violent, but in a way that highlights the aftermath of a horrific act. This is best shown in works where her "greenheads" are shown in various states of pain: hung by ropes, bound with belts, their limbs torn off, or decorated with bandages. In one piece, three people lay in white beds, attached to what seems to be an electroshock torture device.
Limbless figures stare with astonished expressions, holding their limbs or balancing on one leg. In on work, greenheads whose torsos and heads are mounted atop poles, fully cognizant with blank expressions.
The eerie violence in Ali's work, however, is thoughtfully created. Ali pays painstaking attention to detail, with precise straight lines and even tiny lines separating each figure's teeth. If Ali thought that a less stylized version of violence would not be widely accepted, she has certainly found a way around the limitations of realist expression. Standing out because of the colored pencil incorporated into their bodies, several greenheads zoom manically around another piece.
Ali's violent cartoon images recollect cartoons like "South Park" in both their simplicity and direct address of mindless violence.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, some of Ali's pieces show characters that literally share the same clothing, stretching out the fabric together like Siamese twins or triplets. One figure, which seems to be female, is dressed as some sort of nun or religious figure. She wears a blue uniform and sits peacefully with her hands crossed.
The expressions of the figures are the most intriguing and informative inclusions in the paintings. One painting, separated into four distinct sections, shows a child first as a troublemaker, then being scolded, causing trouble again, and lastly, being punished by his victims.
Sometimes humorous in a cynical sort of way, the figures look flabbergasted. One has an outstretched tongue and another, carrying dynamite in its belt, is more ironic.
The most impressive work in this collection was completed in 1997. It is separated into four squares, each holding a group of men with arms outstretched diagonally toward the center, forming a mystifying pattern of parallel arms and stripes.
Despite their emotional impact, it is sometimes difficult to determine precisely what Ali hopes to communicate with each piece. One thing remains certain: the faces and actions of her greenheads will stun anyone who visits the exhibit.
Ali's signature takes issues into a world far from reality. The audience wonders what sort of people would commit these brutal acts, only to realize that the "greenheads" represent injustices present in the real world. Stripped of color, race, or sex, the audience is forced to judge them based solely on the actions in which Ali has chosen to show them engaged.
On display through April 6, 2003, Ali's work adds a diverse and extraordinary feeling to the Albright-Knox. The pieces are generally parts of private collections, ranging in size from 6x4 to 27x18. Each of the untitled pieces, which make up all of the works in the show, was recently completed.
In addition to this exhibit, Laylah Ali will be presenting a lecture on her work on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. in the gallery auditorium.
