Art at Affirmations
Kevin Voog Tobin, 18, has a twin brother, David. They share an A+ gay gene (if indeed there is one). Kevin also has a gift: his art. (David studies biology at Wayne State University.) A+ for achieving for both guys.
Fourteen of Kevin's art pieces are on display at the Affirmations Art Gallery space, through November 8th. These range from pencil drawing of high school friends to collages, assemblages, abstracts, prints and art deco-like, fantasy interpretations of faces, movements, multi-layered textures of Age of Anxiety traumata.
Kevin, who came out to his supportive parents at 16 during his junior year, says of his work, "It reflects my own experiences and those aspects of life I most understand. That probably makes my art undeniably gay; although gayness is not the focus of my work."
"My Affirmations exhibit is a mix covering the beginning of high school through my senior year," adds Kevin. "My current work is more subdued, more muted than my dramatic earlier pieces. The contrast in styles will probably spark some interesting conversation, and I'm looking forward to viewer reaction; whether it's positive or negative.
"When I first started making images, I wanted to have a clear idea of the purpose before I began. Those early pieces reflected a dramatic, illustrative quality that my present pieces lack. Early on, I churned out these pieces quickly and often felt let down, unimpressed with the final result.
"My relationship with art's somewhat masochistic. When I feel comfortable with a method of working, that's when I know the work has become stale and boring. Despite the praise I've received in the past; I know I must start over in order to make quality work."
Unlike many art students his age, Kevin expresses himself with a maturer intellectual acuity. "David Lynch's Inland Empire has most recently inspired me. His nonlinear film is so exhilarating and contemporary, like [German artist: b. 1960] Neo Rauch's monumental paintings. Spanning nearly three hours, Inland Empire intentionally lacks a narrative, which creates a tension in an audience expecting something concrete.
"The film is crafted with an abstract clarity, like a painting which compositionally moves through time during every frame. Lynch and Rauch use completely different methods to explore the idea of an unsolvable mystery that defies narrative. The subject matter and aesthetic of both artists will surely incite future experimentation in my work."
Kevin, who at age 4 began drawing ducks for his mom on paper napkins ("they were fabulous for a toddler") soon became aesthetically inquisitive as well. "When I was 12 years old I saw the John Currin retrospective in Chicago. At 14, I had my first art class with high school teacher Hope Palmer. She taught me nearly everything I know. (Well almost!) Looking back on this early event in my life my interest in sexuality, humor, society, and the human figure can easily be traced.
"Contemporary female artists like Tracy Emin, Kiki Smith, and Jenny Saville have also been influences on my art. The sensibility women bring to the art world has been criminally underrated. As an artist and a person, I have always identified more with women.
"I have a difficult time with berets and those ridiculous books like, Learn How to Draw a Horse. Even worse than these primers; bad line quality in drawing. When I see a bad line quality, I want to throw a book on Ingres or Bellmer, artists noted for their superb line, at the offensing artist."
"My taste in music isn't sophisticated like my taste in film or art," concludes Kevin. "I rarely listen to music while I work, but when I do I listen to pop divas. My drafting table is pushed against the window of my apartment. Around the window I have pictures of art by Ed Ruscha, Viennese expressionists, and film postcards from my treasured Almodovar collection. Naturally I placed a cover shot of [performance artist] Mariah Carey in the center."
The future, one may predict, holds exciting promise for Kevin, the result of a combination of talent, determination (present enrollment as a student at Detroit's College of Creative Studies). "Four years ago I made a promise to myself that I would never quit my art. I have pushed through mental blocks and refused to compromise with those who do not appreciate the work I do. I'm determined to succeed, to say something uniquely my own."
And what of Kevin's gay twin, David? "He's creative but doesn't give himself enough credit. He's really good at ceramics, but it isn't his passion. We look fairly identical but our personalities are, well, very different."
Different, yes; but role models no doubt for LGBT teens to follow.
