The art exhibit “Robots and Slow Motion” will be in the Student Organization of Fine Arts (SOFA) Gallery in Art Building A through Friday, Feb. 24. This exhibit features the work of art major Daniel McFarlane and showcases six pieces, including the title piece.
“‘Robots and Slow Motion’ deals with the crusade of trying to make it in the music industry,” said 22-year-old SHSU junior McFarlane.”The industry wants robots; they don’t want something that’s real.”
An artist in more than one sense, McFarlane plays the bass in the indie rock band “Awaiting the Fall” and said the paintings offer hope that something will happen with his music some day.
McFarlane said that while most of his work is autobiographical, he gathers inspiration from his band and artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol. For instance, the painting entitled “Why Won’t My Brain Work?” deals with McFarlane’s personal life-long struggle with dyslexia and the “frustration of seeing things backwards.”
McFarlane said that he goes through phases with his art. While painting “Composition #1” and “A Feeling of Sadness,” he said that he would get into musical drifts where he would write and play music and as a result, painted the physical music and notes.
“When you play one song, it’s gone forever and dies,” said McFarlane. “I wanted to represent the mortality of music in those pieces.”
His favorite piece in the gallery is “Twilight,” which deals with the simple concept of day and night existing in one painting. It’s sort of poetic,” said McFarlane.
“That’s my ultimate goal and challenge – to present simple concepts in a poetic way that hasn’t been done before,” said McFarlane.
A public reception will be held forthe artist’s workFriday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m.