Artists strive to depict the wonders of nature in their landscapes, the beauty of everyday items in still lifes and to challenge our imaginations with their abstracts. But don’t they also have a duty at times to make us face reality, to shed light on the seamier, more disturbing, even horrifying aspects of life? 
 
Three Topanga Canyon Gallery artists think so; and are preparing an exhibit, “Silent Witness”, a visual exploration of some ugly realities: events, people and situations most of us would prefer to sweep under the rug.  As we rush through our lives we pass them by.  Those that have fallen between the cracks of our society.  The forgotten men, women & animals in our communities.  War veterans whose services we have used to protect our country then casually cast aside and forgotten.  Farm animals off to slaughter not unlike the train cars of Nazi Germany.  These are the people who are the Silent Witness of our culture of success.  They are the barometer of how civilized we are, and they do not have a voice. 

 

The idea came to Fae Horowitz two years ago following a visit to Central Europe, which included stops at Auschwitz and Birkenau.  “They were hard places to visit, but I kept noticing the trees, the grass, even the shadows.  Signs of life in the camps of death” she said.   Horowitz began to work on these haunting images in her medium of hand colored photography.

 

The theme has been expanded to include two other Topanga artists, pastel artist Robyn Feeley and photographer John Smith. Together they realized that indifference, neglect, intolerance, abuse, oppression, cruelty and murder are actually, sadly, common themes in our society and have applied their artistic passions to include the themes of animals, women and the homeless.  “They are all symptoms of how mankind’s inhumanity can be terribly destructive, either on purpose or simply by not paying attention” says Feeley.

 

“As a photographer I am a Silent Witness of the world around me.  These images are my small attempt to draw attention to the world that we walk by everyday and ignore.” Says Smith of his newest body of work. 

 

These three artists have brought their passions together with hopes to create more awareness and conciousness in our daily lives thru  their art.  For those that save a life, save the whole world one person or animal at a time. 

 

The show will run from May 5 – June 1 at The Topanga Canyon Gallery with the opening Artist reception on Saturday, May 10 from 4pm-7pm.  For more information contact robyn@bungalowart.com 310-455-7744  www.topangacanyongallery.com