Amy Maloof
at
Bunny Gunner through November 5
By: Stacy Davies |
|
As the granddaughter of famed IE wood craftsman Sam Maloof,
artist/rocker Amy Maloof has the background needed to brave
a path through her own artistic pedigree. Yet, instead of following
in gramp’s sculpturally smooth woodworking clogs, Maloof
branched out (sorry) from her famous heritage and not only heads
a very Mary’s Danish-esque rock band, Falcon Eddy, but
after graduating from Claremont Graduate University in 2005
has been steadily compiling an impressive collection of mixed
media artwork.
The first time we saw Miss Maloof, we didn’t even know
it—a flock of her “ducks” sculptures (bowling
pins equipped with boomerang wings) were hanging from Andi Campognone’s
ceiling, and all we knew is that we wanted them. Fortunately,
Susie and Juan, the ingenious duo behind Bunny Gunner in Pomona,
have given us more of Maloof with her own solo show—and
what a show it is.
The exhibit is almost equal parts roidery (cross-stitching)
and collage—but this ain’t your grandma’s
sewin’. What you might expect on granny’s wall—a
framed, softly colored bit of needlepoint that should read “home
sweet home” at closer look contains messages you’d
never find there: “Cunt tree,” “God is nothing,”
“M is for Martyr,” to name just a few. (There’s
also a guffaw-eliciting image of a courting scene between Mickey
and Minnie Mouse, except that Mickey’s thought bubble
contains a swastika, and Minnie’s, a dollar sign.)
The mixed media collage might be less antagonistic (if you’re
of the thin-skinned art-lover variety) and her combinations
of JFK Rockwell portraiture and electronics mag cut outs, vintage
Grand Canyon postcard shots filled with bubbles of yellow happy
faces, a real flask carved into an old book titled “Help
Yourself to Happiness,” and the fabulous shot of a ’50s
mannequin head in rollers with pickles plastered over her eyes,
nose and mouth (called “Pickle Face,” of course)
are things you just cannot miss seeing in this lifetime. Really.
About 75% of these pieces are already sold. So get in there
while the gettin’s good—and cheap.
(Stacy Davies)
Amy Maloof: Shirtless with Leather Pants at Bunny Gunner, 266
W. Second St., Pomona, (909) 868-2808; www.bunnygunner.com.
Open Tues.–Sat., 10AM-7PM. Closing reception, Wed., Nov.
5, 5PM-6PM. Free
