Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Artist Spotlight: Drew Falchetta

On a recent movie trip to the Ritz at the Bourse I happened to come across artist Drew Falchetta's work. His art was on the pre-show slide show. Since that day his paintings have become the staple background image on my both my iPhone and my Mac. Needless to say I really enjoy his work. His paintings are interesting and dramatic, often evoking a sense of narrative despite their apparent simplicity. They're somewhat reminiscent of the pop culture inspired pieces that director Kevin Smith showcased in his extremely interesting pop art exhibit he hosted at Gallery 1988.

With images that run the gamut from serenely benign, to oddly funny and even a few that are outright macabre, Falchetta's work seemed to always leave me wondering about where the stories his paintings tell might lead. And he does all of this with a style that is at once basic and challenging. It's the kind of work that some cynics may look at and say, "I could do that." However, like many deceptively simple films and photographs, it's not necessarily the subject of the piece, but rather the context and treatment that give it real value and depth.

I'm also happy to relate the fact that Falchetta is a local artist, residing in the area of Philadelphia made famous by Rocky-- South Philly.

Give the pieces I've included a look. He's a very interesting and approachable young artist. We need more people like him to get mainstream noteriety so they can remain free to create art that attracts, engages and amuses the way his does. 

You can view more work and learn more about Drew Falchetta at his website, www.drewfalchetta.com



    

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