Viewed Straight On

Tanith L. Balaban Arizona Daily Wildcat "The Hand of Fate" is one example of the artwork being shown at the Central Arts Collective at 188 E. Broadway Blvd. as part of the Convergence '99 show. Convergence '99 features works by Marvin Bartel, Anna Beth Cargil, Deb Fisher, Maurice Grossman, Gary Hammil, Laurel Hansen, Yoshimi Hayashi, Eleanor Kohloss, Beverly McIver, John Mishler, Paulus Musters, Heidi Pollard, Matt Proctor, Arturo Alonzo Sandoval, Tim Timmerman, and Owen Williams. It runs through January 30. Central Arts Collective is located at 188 E. Broadway. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 12 p.m.-4 p.m.

Right inside the door to Central Arts Collective a cardboard cut-out person leans against the glass. In the next room, another flattened figure lolls in a corner, holding a cup. They're both part of Eleanor Kohloss's "Vessels" series, dealing with the idea of vessels and the way things are held.

These people eerily mingle with you as you wander through Central Arts Collective's invitational Convergence '99. On one wall are a series of pottery shrines by Maurice Grossman that draw inspiration from Hinduism, while on another hang colorful prints by Arturo Alanzo Sandoval that deal with terrorism and nuclear war.

And then there's this overweight guy in the corner, kinda peering around the wall.

The next room gets even more interesting: Deb Fisher's "Small Punishment Machine," where a TV attached to metal bars with a pillow and some sort of hammer device in front of it, sits framed by the surreal assemblages of Tim Timmerman and the tiny and intricate fabric creations by Anna Beth Cargil.

And then there's the overweight cut-out guy's back.

Kohloss puts it this way in her artist's bio held in a loose-leaf notebook at the front of the gallery: The man "should be viewed straight-on to appreciate the image and shape and its thrilling wedgie."

The argument can be made here that invitationals are the best kind of show for this very reason: you get to look at everything from politically active art to fantasy-like images of childhood memories to sculpture involving TVs, and all the while, there's a guy with a perpetual "thrilling wedgie" standing in the corner. It should all be viewed straight-on, in order to appreciate the image and shape.

Convergence '99, which runs through January 30, is an invitational consisting of works by artists that members of the Collective selected themselves. Each member got to pick two artists to invite to display their work in the gallery. Usually, with an invitational, people submit their work, which is then reviewed by a committee. The committee selects what will be shown from the submissions. In March, Central But Convergence '99 is more of a tribute to artists that the members of Central Arts Collective find inspiring and innovative. Some of the artists selected are local, like Maurice Grossman, and Owen Williams, and some have served as mentors. Some are friends. But all are different and interesting.

It's ideal for gallery-browsers with short attention spans and an appreciation for all things art.

And for people who think wedgies are funny.