(Whether he knows it or not)
I've decided to write this note because of the artistic vision that is becoming progressively more obvious through the work of Adam Hibbeler. The fact that he is indeed my brother has no pull on my artistic criticism.
Lately my brother (Adam Hibbeler) has been putting up on facebook the product of his creative energy unleashed at work (in between phone calls).
The series is called, "When i'm bored at work I play on paint...". It's important to note that there are only two words capitalized in this title. Appropriately, the first word is capitalized, as well as the singular personal pronoun, "I". This is meaningful in several ways. For one, the lack of capitalization is fitting within the context of short-hand indicative of the information age. Not only that, but notice what else isn't capitalized: the first "I"...
From the title we can pull the following two phrases: "i'm bored at work" and "I play on paint..."
The first phrase refers to the repressed artist; the man behind the desk who doesn't necessarily value his individualism, and thus doesn't take care to capitalize his own personal pronoun. The second phrase begins with an action. The artist tells us that he doesn't consider the act of creation a chore, a job, or even a pastime. He considers it "play". Profound indeed when contrasted with the somber feelings attached to the first phrase.
Hibbeler is also on the cutting edge as far as his choice in outlet is concerned. Exhibiting these works for free, on facebook, in a public photo folder is a bold step that reveals he is an artist unbound and unhindered by the conventions of art at large. He conceptualizes the visual arts as a people's medium and carries it out as such. To further reflect this sentiment, Hibbeler makes use of the "tagging" function built into the facebook photo-sharing structure in order to bring friends and family closer to his vision; inviting them to engage their minds actively and asking them (though not directly) for what reason they were tagged, and why in that spot of the piece.
Adam Hibbeler chose to leave these works untitled. And though I don't portend to fully grasp the significance of each work, I will use simple descriptors to reference them in this review. Though it would be possible for me to look at each and every work individually, I will opt to point out just a few, leaving the reader the exciting opportunity to discover the rest on their own.
The fact that Hibbeler used nothing but Microsoft Paint is a tribute to the artistic method of tightening one's parameters. It's truly a minimalistic approach, but one that yields fantastic results.
The first I will mention is (the bird). This work features a fantastically colored and proportioned bird soaring through the sky. Although this piece seems peaceful at first glance, further reflection sparks inklings of chaos. Hibbeler creates the illusion of speed by stretching out the points on each wing, as well as giving the subject an overall direction of heading downward, as in a dive. The wings, taken individually, are held at different positions, hinting that some quick maneuvering may be taking place. Our final clue comes not from the piece itself, but from a comment left by a certain coworker. This coworker simply states, "I remember him." This simple, but chilling statement leaves the viewer guessing at what event this apparently memorable feathered friend made his appearance. Visions of birds fluttering confusedly inside an office building flock to mind, providing the viewer with ample reason to sympathise with the artist.
The next piece is actually a two-parter. (Circuit City) is a graphic and culturally relevant tale of an electronics giant felled by the inertia of uncertainty that dominates our world today. The first piece is of a perfectly normal Circuit City location on a partly-cloudy day, birds flying in the sky (our familiar theme). But something is off. As one commenter notes, "...the sun is in the wrong place...". This simple statement isn't necessarily stating the idea that the sun itself may be off its course, but it does point out that if the sun is placed where it is (in the upper-left corner of the piece), and the shadow of Circuit City is placed where it is, then something is wrong. Something indeed. This represents the feeling of foreboding that many Circuit City employees felt in months leading to the company's eventual demise. Poor decisions, layoffs, and dominance of Best Buy were all warning signs of collapse--A collapse expressed in Hibbeler's second part. In it, he depicts the same location broken, and burning. Everything else in the piece remains the same as the first; the positioning, the grass, the sun, the birds... a sign that though economic hardship may destroy institutions, the world spins on--the world spins on.
The last I will mention I will simply refer to as (Rory Nelson). This piece (so referred to in recognition of the only individual tagged), is yet another contrast of bleak conditions and human triumph. Much of the electronic canvass is etched out in black lines, leaving only miniscule windows of white peering through the darkness. Hints of pink are also used throughout, and the work is effectively organic and geometric in areas. This dark, or even disturbed depiction of life is interrupted by a simple smiling face, reminiscent of a Jack-O-Lantern, which seems to cut in and assert that life, no matter how dreadful, can be funny.
I've decided to conclude my rambling critique by saying that I don't believe that everyone is ready for the work of Adam Hibbeler. Because of this, some of you may doubt my reasons for writing this. My primary reason is not to make a spectacle of my vague inferences into this art; in fact, quite the contrary. I am writing this to draw attention to the work of someone I consider to be genuinely creative and insightful individual. As mentioned earlier, the fact that he also happens to be my brother is immaterial in regards the potency of his work. Below is a link to the folder. Enjoy.
http://www.facebook.com/al
