'Body of Work' series begins at Ashawagh Hall

There were bodies everywhere you looked. Nude women languishing; people wearing masks, and stand-up cutouts of cartoon men. The occasion was the exhibition, “Body of Work II,” held at Ashawagh Hall in Springs last weekend.

The show was the first of three exhibitions to showcase art by the members of Body of Work—a group that’s primarily concerned with art inspired by the human body. The second show, “Body of Work III,” will be held on May 7 to 9. The third show, “Body of Work IV,” is set for September 3 to 6. All shows will be held at Ashawagh Hall.

Each exhibition features 10 artists of the 14-member group. Last weekend’s show showcased art by Jana Hayden, Jim Hayden, Bob Markell, Bill Negron, Frank Sofo, Molly Weiss, Mary Antczak, Rosalind Brenner, Michael Cardacino and Margaret Weissbach, who co-founded the group with Linda Capello.

Ms. Capello’s work will be featured in the next two shows along with pieces by Ruth Nasca, Karyn Mannix and Scott Artman

The exhibiting artists decided to band together last year to mount a show of their own. Each finds inspiration in the human form. Some create figurative paintings. Others use the body as a jumping off point. All artists include the figure in their work.

Since figurative artwork isn’t typically a popular genre with commercial galleries, the artists decided to develop strength in numbers in order to take on the perceived prejudice, Ms. Weissbach said. Many of the artists met or knew of one another from the live model drawing sessions held at the Southampton Cultural Center (SCC) and cosponsored by the SCC and the Southampton Artists Association. Ms. Capello has hosted the sessions for decades.

Ms. Weissbach met others while leading watercolor workshops at the Art Barge, when exhibiting in group shows at such venues as the Elaine Benson Gallery, Clayton-Liberatore, or the Goat Alley Gallery, or when she welcomed visitors during East Hampton Artists Alliance studio tours. Artists recommended other artists. Soon, a core group of figurative artists was born and plans for the group’s first exhibition were hatched.

“The success of last year’s show proved that there were people out here that are interested in figurative work,” Ms. Weissbach said. “The show was well attended and the artists got great feedback. It seemed like we were on to something, so we decided to expand the number of shows for this year.”

Separately, Ms. Capello offered her own take: “A few years ago it seemed like there was a lot of interest and now there’s not as much,” she said. “People either love it or run screaming from the room. There doesn’t seem to be a middle ground. Those who love it, really have a passion for it.”

Some artists, like Ms. Capello, Mr. Sofo and Mr. Markell, discovered figurative painting after careers as illustrators. At last weekend’s show, Mr. Markell exhibited a new series of female nudes combining the expressionism of portraiture with the dramatic flair found in the theater. Mr. Sofo exhibited figurative art made in a range of mediums and tone.

Ms. Weissbach’s watercolors each had a soft and romantic feel, despite the commanding figure that dominated each composition. Ms. Hayden presented a series of compelling minimalist ceramic female torsos. Mr. Hayden exhibited two bold abstract works reminiscent of African motifs.

Mr. Negron’s peoplescapes were lush, subdued and eye-catching. Ms. Weiss presented her newest series, with each painting incorporating a mask or an oversize pair of sunglasses to hide the central figure’s face and obscure identity.

Mr. Antczak showed two striking charcoal drawings that featured her penchant for geometric shapes. Ms. Brenner exhibited a new series of collages that included ripped portions of her poetry. Many of the works had figures contained within the complicated compositions. Mostly, Ms. Brenner chose to interpret “Body of Work” as referrring to an artist’s oeuvre instead of art based on the human figure.

“That’s what’s great about the group,” she said. “It’s not all about one perspective. Every person has a different take on what Body of Work means.”

Her husband, Mr. Cardacino, took a literal and philosophical leap in creating his art, presenting an installation that ruminates on American society’s economic drivers and begs the question: Is a free market economy everything it’s cracked up to be? The centerpiece was a chain link of free-standing two-foot cutouts conjuring the character originally known as Rich Uncle Pennybags who later became known as simply Mr. Monopoly.

Another beauty of the multiple shows, according to organizers, is that each one will be different. The artist lineup will vary and exhibited work will not repeat from prior exhibits. Having a series of shows allows visitors to see a range of art made by each artist. Having discrete exhibition areas for each artist creates the effect of a series of mini-solo shows tied together by a figurative theme.

Ultimately, the shows offer a way to make sure figurative artwork gets a chance to be seen, Ms. Weissbach said. In joining together, the artists experienced side benefits of forging new friendships and being part of a supportive group that spans generations. Artists have opportunities to exchange ideas, be around other artists and plan new ways to make future shows interesting.

“People really do speak from the heart,” Ms. Weissbach said. “It brings us together. We have the opportunity to bring artists together to talk about the figure, techniques, what they’re doing and how they can push their art. The group does make people come together. There’s warmth that comes out of it that benefits us all.”