Real to Real

At the end of Fragments is a group of recent bronze heads, some set traditionally on stone bases. Here DeAndrea experiments with patinas. In "Untitled (Lisa McIntyre)," he uses a silvery mottled green; in others he uses gray. "They're all based on silver nitrate, but the colors differ depending on how they're applied," he says. Though these patinated pieces are stylistically akin to DeAndrea's classic painted work, the singular shades of the various patinas lend a traditional quality not seen in his older hyper-realist work, which is represented here only by those shelves brimming with heads.

Zalkind has succeeded in creating a gorgeous display, but he has made some annoying decisions. Though he takes an intellectual approach to art, he is not particularly scholarly. As a result, he has made the indefensible judgment to dispense with identifying labels, which he says would have been "intrusive." Even accepting this preposterous proposition, though, there seems no reason not to have at least provided an exhibition checklist for those who are interested in knowing the date and technique used for each piece. And what about a biographical sketch on DeAndrea? Sure, he's famous, but should Zalkind have assumed that everyone would know the details of his career? Also off the mark is Zalkind's essay, which links the work in Fragments to his own state of mind when he conceived the show. He recalls his mood at the time as being shaded by the "confluence of catastrophes--Kosovo and Columbine," an observation that many will find opportunistic and in questionable taste.

But these shortcomings are of little real consequence, since Fragments is such a treat for the eyes and, without a doubt, one of the strongest art shows presented so far this year.

John DeAndrea: Fragments, through August 29 at the Singer Gallery, Mizel Arts Center at the JCC, 350 South Dahlia Street, 303-399-2660.