A strange figure trudges down the sidewalks of Manhattan. It weaves its way through the crowded subways and stands on street corners. Its body is covered with mud and sticks, its face masked by women's stockings.
Run for your lives, because here comes "The Mudman."
"The Mudman" is an alter ego that artist Kim Jones created for himself and dressed up as in the late 1970s. The creature can no longer be spotted walking in public, but what remains of Jones' experiment can be found right here at the Center for the Arts.
The exhibition, entitled "Kim Jones: A Retrospective," has been made possible by Sandra Firmin, the Curator of the University of Buffalo Art Gallery, and Julie Joyce of the Luckman Fine Arts Complex in Los Angeles.
Kim Jones' professional record boasts a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the California Institute of Arts and a Master of Fine Arts from the Otis Arts Institute. His education has not been the only influence on his work, however. Much of his inspiration has been drawn from the time he spent in Vietnam, from 1967 to 1968, fighting as a U.S. Marine.
Additionally, Perthes, the ailment that handicapped him during his childhood, has had a great impact on his life perspectives and subsequently his work.
The retrospective display features 39 of Jones' pieces that include drawings, installations and photographs. Its most conspicuous piece is the remnants of the Mudman, a stick figure situated behind a wooden chair. In front of that sits a pair of worn-in black boots. The second, more noticeable piece is the large scale "War Drawings," which occupies the back room of the gallery.
The sketch marks of that composition begin on a piece of rectangular cloth hanging from one of the walls that spill over the fabric and continue to span across the adjacent two walls. The elaborate maze of X-marks and dots also make their way high up the walls, creeping to the skylight ceiling. Each small pencil mark connects with another in some way to form what appears to be an aerial view of intricately designed neighborhoods.
"War Drawings" proves Jones' devotion to detail, which can only be achieved over a long period of time. His ability to work on different pieces over the years, slowly adding to them and allowing for them to evolve, is an important aspect of the exhibition.
For example, the untitled piece marked as "number 26" in the gallery is dated as 1984-1990-2005-2006. In this composition of acrylic and ink on paper, Jones sketched mystical figures in vibrant pinks and greens. Centered is the body of a large, overpowering creature mid-stride, whose body merges with that of a young man, his face is a cut out of a contrasting black and white photograph.
Jones' collection embodies a great range of ideas, mixing pictures of supernatural beings with more realistic photographs, as well as sculptures and installations. It's that eclecticism that has drawn visitors.
"It's definitely very different from normal art. The things I've seen here I've never seen before," said Mike Bukowski, a Buffalo resident and admirer of Jones' work.
Kim Jones' exhibition is unique in that it includes a rich variety of mediums. He is not afraid to experiment with different concepts and to revisit certain works. This makes everything he does open-ended, prompting continuous interest in his admirers, which they can satisfy from now until Dec. 17.
The display is presently open to the public, free of charge Tues. through Sat. 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., with additional hours on Thursday until 7 p.m.
