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Artist's social commentary pieces on display in Centerville gallery

Artist James Pate is exhibiting his work at the Visceral Art Gallery in Centerville. The work behind Pate is called Kin Killing Kin and is charcoal on canvas.

Jim Noelker/Staff photographer Artist James Pate is exhibiting his work at the Visceral Art Gallery in Centerville. The work behind Pate is called Kin Killing Kin and is charcoal on canvas.

ENLARGE PHOTO

By Pamela Ferris-Olson, Staff Writer 11:09 PM Sunday, October 4, 2009

CENTERVILLE — He portrays the world in black and white. Artist James Pate finds it the best way to express his point of view.

On Sept. 18, Pate was announced the winner of “Color Restrained,” a black and white invitational art competition sponsored by Visceral Gallery in downtown Centerville.

“I am in awe of this work, and I do not say that often,” Amy Kollar Anderson, gallery coordinator at Kettering’s Rosewood Arts Center and judge of the “Color Restrained” competition, said.

“I was attracted to the intense, foreshortened composition that draws the viewer into the image then presents them with a contrast. Here, softly residing in the background, are the strong faces of brave men, faced with the daily struggle to find respect in a chaotic world. The composition pulls the viewer back to the foreground and up the barrel of a firing gun, and the sad realization that now the struggle has changed.”

Pate, 45, grew up in Cincinnati. He attended the School for the Creative and Performing Arts there, and earned a scholarship to the Art Academy of Cincinnati. He came to 1997 to continue a relationship with a girlfriend and stayed because of his associations with other artistic visionaries such as Bing Davis and Dwayne Daniel.

James Pate has served as adjunct staff at Colonel White High School, and as an educational art consultant to the Dayton Public Schools with the goal of encouraging at-risk students to stay in school. He has been a two-time recipient of the Montgomery County Individual Artist Fellowship and the Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award.

Pate’s works hang in the corporate art collections of companies such as Cincinnati Bell and Atlanta Life Insurance Co. He has exhibited at prestigious institutions including the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.

The three charcoal drawings Pate submitted to the local art competition are part of a series entitled “Kin Killing Kin.” It’s the artist’s commentary on the violence that contemporary young black men inflict upon themselves.

Prior to his commitment to the series, Pate explored a variety of techniques as a way to reflect upon other aspects of the black experience and African symbolism.

“I have not personally experienced any of the activity portrayed in this series, but my family, friends and neighbors definitely have,” the artist said. “I think people respond to these images because they are aware of the subject and often hear about it.”

Pate said his intent is not to use shock or vulgarity to draw attention to his work or to make a point.

“My objective is to disperse and receive inspiration and open a dialogue that hopefully will lead to a solution or resolution,” James Pate said. “I feel compelled to make art for self and community healing, as well as celebrate culture and entertain viewers. I am intent on breeding the spirit of love, tolerance, empathy and sacrifice into the language of my visual art.”

James Pate has sketches for nearly a dozen more paintings in the “Kin Killing Kin” series. He plans to render some of these in oil and acrylic to “turn up the volume”.

Pate’s work and those of other selected artists will be on display at Visceral, 64 W. Franklin St., through Oct. 14. For information on gallery hours call 409-0069.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2000 or flastname@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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I would say that for a lot of black people
in the community committing all this violence
and crime against other black people.
This is what they need to see and then maybe realize that in the old days.
The kkk would come into a black commutity and
lench a black person.
But now,the kkk does not have to show up at all.
They just sit back and watch black people
carrying out the mission of the kkk.

Peter D. Slaughter
5:38 PM, 10/5/2009

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I have seen his work and I am also impressed. He is a very talented individual.

mjm
6:52 AM, 10/5/2009

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