Life Has a Funny Way of Happening, w/ Brian Cirmo

By Robert Brune

ANDES — This weekend begins the ‘Funny Feeling’ exhibition at Hawk + Hive Gallery in Andes as Brian Cirmo of Albany shares his insights into everyday life. The art scene heats up while the outdoor climate struggles to cooperate with the concept of spring weather. This indoor entertainment of art and humor is a perfect opportunity to visit a gallery that consistently fascinates art lovers in Andes. Jayne Parker has wrangled another brilliant artist with great depth and uncanny gift of humor and situational perspectives.

Cirmo’s pallet of experiences and emotions captivates the viewer in a way that lulls the mind, particularly character studies with closed eyes. In a recent interview, I asked about the recurring meditative state of Cirmo’s subjects. His response, “You know, a lot of people ask that question, and I ask myself this, too. For me there is something introspective about it, but it also could just be that the subjects are blinking, and we catch them in that moment.” Cirmo went on to suggest that his character’s could be, for him, a bit guarded, protecting themselves in a private moment of intimacy or reacting to turmoil. Though Cirmo reminds us of the very humble perspective offered up by the great New York Times art critic Roberta Smith, “Art should be considered an open space for interpretation, where viewers can engage with the work and form their own understandings, rather than being confined to the artist's intended meaning.” Moving through the figures of averted sight, the painting ‘Egg Moon’ depicts a very dark setting with a character with one eye closed and one eye catching the viewer. Not taking anything away from the rest of the collection, as each tells a story unto itself. It’s almost as if every other piece is window dressing for the moment of the surprise of ‘Egg Moon’.

The thoughtful subjects of ‘Funny Feeling’ are a culmination of a lifetime of contemplation. Cirmo shared his love of Sunday Comics (Peanuts and Calvin and Hobbs) as his foundational inspiration to start creating art in his childhood. Folk music played a significant role as Cirmo explains, “I remember I heard Dylan when I was in high school. I went to see the movie ‘Hurricane’ (About Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter) which featured the song about a prize fighter accused of murder. I went out and bought the album the very next day.” Cirmo said he connected with the civil rights movement and the poetic stream of consciousness of Dylan’s lyrics. Straight out of grad school, Cirmo traveled the country while reading books by Jack Kerouac and Sinclair Lewis which contributed to his artistic sensibilities.

The influences of Cirmo’s artwork, as he explained, are intuitive but sometimes come about unknowingly. Cirmo recalls, “I had painting I had in my studio hanging on the wall and spent some time looking at it. I realized that the figure was very much pulled from one of my favorite paintings from history Grunewald’s ‘Crucifixion’. I wasn’t aware of it at the time, the brain is a sponge. It takes everything in and somehow it comes out in that mysterious kind of process. Sometimes I know if I just keep working, I will find out what I want to know.” This is the magic of Cirmo’s art. He goes to extraordinary lengths of composition and narratives that welcome the viewer into a descriptive world of both oneself and the surrounding world.

‘Funny Feeling’ opens this Friday April 11th at Hawk + Hive Gallery in Andes

Opening reception Saturday April 12th 2pm – 6pm

Also See on Instagram @hawkandhive and @ b_cirmo for more information