Confounding the Sublime: Andrew Stark MFA Painting Exhibition

No matter the advances of science, not one person on planet Earth can explain where matter originally came from. Science is woefully inadequate in elucidating ultimate mysteries, such as the “matter” question. Andrew Stark is interested in bringing this matter—no pun intended—into public view.

His paintings are mostly two-tiered. The background layer often represents deep space in the form of a nebulous pastiche of pigment in monochromatic hues. The foreground consists of an Op art pattern of perfect geometric shapes, whose often white or black circles form atmospheric clusters.

The dot patterns in “New Yellow” or “Green Cloud” seem to represent a solid crystalline lattice at an atomic level. They appear symbolic of solid matter construction across the universe and may represent the particle make-up of solid objects.

By foregrounding this intrusive grid, Stark seems to be saying that the understanding of the subatomic level is irrelevant to appreciation of the beauty of the mysterious natural world and that it can, in fact, be a stumbling block to the perception and experience of the sublime, which often lies beyond these circular shapes in his provocative compositions.

In point of fact, there is always a smaller atomic particle for a scientist to chase, just as there is always a larger expanse of universe for him or her to grapple with. The extreme edges of this exploration spectrum are essentially indefinable and unknowable. The sub-atomic particle pursuit leads to ever-dwindling minutia.

Exploring the vastness of the universe leads ultimately to a distance that cannot be measured or comprehended, to the edge of current exploratory ability. Stark seems to suggest that neither path leads directly to a crescendo of understanding. One might say, pondering these heady images, that herein lies an almighty rub. Or maybe not.

The nebulous forms in the background could also be seen as Prime Mover-made complexes of forms in unique shapes, and the foreground could be viewed as human-made objects with fewer dimensions of complexity, with monotonous, predictable patterns. A viewer might feel drawn to the work, but not always in a pleasant way, since the foreground Op art systems thwart the visual comprehension of the deeper realities hiding beyond reach.

Whatever the intention of the artist, Stark’s work elicits questions about ultimate reality, and within the framework of visual art, the viewer can ponder the inexplicable alongside the explicable, the gloriousness of the cosmos, alongside the tediousness of human-made marks.

The opening reception will be held on May 12, 4:30-7 p.m. in the UND Eugene E. Myers Gallery, Grand Forks. The exhibition will run through May 14.