Prologue: Origins of a Tale, a Mythological Story by Local Artist Joseph Close

14
Jul
2010

Prologue: Origins of a Tale, a Mythological Story by Local Artist Joseph Close

Posted ByBuzzbin Staff

CategoriesHeadlines

CommentsNo Comment

By Julia Kazar

Prologue

Canton’s most promising artist, Joeseph Close, has been working on his latest project for over three years now and is finally ready to show off it’s first part.  Close’s project is being told in three separate sections that, when finished, will tell one story.  The first part is called Prologue and will be on display at Anderson Creative in downtown Canton through July 31^st. The story that Close is telling revolves around three characters.  The first is Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, who is a real historical figure.  Close has taken aspects of the real Whitney and added elements from his own mind to create a fictional Whitney.  Another character is Punchinello, or Punch, a fictional character.  The final character is Snow or Snowflake who was based on a real gorilla of the same name.  He is the only known albino gorilla in the world.  As the title of this show suggests, this part of the story is about fleshing out the background of these characters as well as foreshadowing what lies ahead for them. This is just the first part of the characters’ stories.  Close hopes that once all three parts are finished people will be able to look at the whole story of the project, but that’s not for a few years yet.  Right now if you go check out Close’s show at Anderson Creative you will see what he calls “sketches of the beginning of a story.”  You will meet the characters and learn a little bit about their lives and how they became what they are today.  You can also see how the characters begin to develop. When you walk into the building you will first enter Gertrude’s ‘room’, then Punch’s ‘room’ and Snow’s ‘room.’  The show ends with a look at Close’s own room where he came up with this idea in the first place and where he sketched out the very beginnings of this story. Joseph Close says that he is striving to tell a story about balance.  He says that when the next part of the story comes out to expect it to be much darker than this first part.  However, many things that are unclear right now will make much more sense.  Even though only the beginning of the story is being told right now, it is still easy enough to follow what Close is trying to say.  You will be able to understand the story. It is a remarkable undertaking all on its own, and it’s incredible to think that there are still two more parts to be added.  There is a mixture of 2D paintings with 3D sculptures.  The atmosphere is mythological and you become immersed in another world, almost consumed by these characters and their lives.  “It is my way of trying to take the mythological and turn it into the modern.” Joseph Close’s show Prologue is not to be missed.  Anderson Creative is located in the art district of downtown Canton and is open Tuesdays through Saturdays 12-5.