There has been much talk about a return to the figure, but since the Los Angeles Art Association has a long tradition of at least one exhibition each year devoted to the contemporary figure painter, it could be said that the figure never really left the Association. The current exhibition is not the strongest of the recent Association exhibitions, but, as always, it is of interest to the viewer searching for works by artists not currently fashionable.
The most outstanding painting is Harry Carmean’s “untitled.” It represents a shift in his concepts; the long interest in the Renaissance is still very much present, but his palette has lightened and brightened. Other works of interest were by Arnold Mesches, Joel Schiller’s “Karin, Semi-Nude,” Richard Campbell’s “Composer,” a subtle evocation in transparent browns of Schubert, and P’lla Mills’ welded sculpture “Woman in Web.” “Mother and Child,” an assemblage of worn out utilitarian pieces of wood by Nico van den Heuval, and “TV Trance,” a stone carving by Betz Salmont of a big-eyed, rather constipated little figure, were both amusing.
––H. J. Weeks
