Androids Dream

When Simon Zalkind first met Paul Gillis in the ’80s, he was immediately enamored of the unpretentious artist’s work, with its dreamlike take on our times, its Zap Comix imagery, robotic figures and surreal symbolism. “I was taken with how smart and funny he was, while working through a set...

By Susan Froyd

March 26, 2009

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When Simon Zalkind first met Paul Gillis in the ’80s, he was immediately enamored of the unpretentious artist’s work, with its dreamlike take on our times, its Zap Comix imagery, robotic figures and surreal symbolism. “I was taken with how smart and funny he was, while working through a set of ideas that were personal and spiritual, using the syntax of comic books to give very serious issues a zany gloss,” Zalkind remembers. That appreciative assessment never faded, and Zalkind always hoped to do a project with Gillis.

And now he has, at the Singer Gallery, where Zalkind has created a curatorial niche, giving attention to artists who often fly below the radar. Paul Gillis: Curiouser — A Dozen Years of Painting, which features an overview of Gillis works, opens tonight with a reception from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. “It will inject a measure of humor, which is always good medicine, into the kinds of conversations we’re currently having,” Zalkind says. In these cynical and browbeaten times, he adds, the art of Paul Gillis deserves a second look. And then a third, and a fourth.

Curiouser continues through May 28; the gallery is located in the Mizel Arts and Culture Center, Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center, 350 South Dahlia Street. Go to www.maccjcc.org or call 303-316-6360 for details.
Mondays-Fridays, Sundays. Starts: April 2. Continues through May 28, 2009

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Susan Froyd started writing for Westword as the "Thrills" editor in 1992 and never quite left the fold. These days she still freelances for the paper in addition to walking her dogs, enjoying cheap ethnic food and reading voraciously. Sometimes she writes poetry.

Contact: Susan Froyd

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