Last night I attended an art opening at Project Onward at the their studio in the Bridgeport Art Center for Tony “Bright” Davis. Here’s how they describe the work:
Over the years, Tony has developed a body of pseudo-biographical work that contains both fascinating and controversial narrative. The portrayal of pimps, hustlers, prostitutes, and other unseen residents of West Side neighborhoods are rare in the art world, but his graphic novel style and openness offers emotional distance and space from judgement, which allows viewers who aren’t from his society to think and talk about these topics in a less-guarded dialogue. As the artist explains, “I want people to see the truth, the nitty-gritty, the true street life.”
The most striking piece I saw was called “Fluff Love”– more than a dozen people sprawled on a bed backed by enormous speakers. It’s an artistic cross between Raphael’s The School of Athens and da Vinci’s The Last Supper.
I also bought “Tony in Black Fight Scene”, a frozen moment of conflict that could easily have served as mood board for 20% of the shows on TV in the last half-century. This is the center of our society: conflict and commerce in aggressive color. Con style.
All hail Tony “Bright” Davis.