An Exhibition Of Exhibitionism: Bruno Surdo’s 'Respond'

By Carrie McGath in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 1, 2014 9:00PM

Bruno Surdo, "Hidden Theater," oil on canvas, h 48 w 78 inches

Bruno Surdo's "Respond" is a series of paintings that entice and enthrall, envelope and enamor. It is a theatrical body of work. Some of the paintings depict a Caligula-esque rowdiness, others show a quiet, introspective performer, but all deal with voyeurism, exhibitionism, and invasion. During a phone interview, Surdo said his work often raise the questions: What could have happened? What will happen? What can happen? They hang on the gallery walls of Ann Nathan Gallery like dollhouse cutaways where the viewer looks in on an intimate scene and most likely asks these very questions.

Surdo told a story about an experience he had in a highrise when he looked in on a woman across the street. Her windows were open, but she seemed displeased that he looked in. "Hidden Theater" seems to quote this anecdote. This vignette depicts an aftermath, or a beginning, to a narrative. It is the heart of the exhibition in its concise synopsis of the over-arching themes at play. Like all of his work, the characters are all in different states and expressing different actions: from the maid wandering about disinterested, to the artist himself adjusting his necktie.

Bruno Surdo, "L'Atelier," oil on canvas, h 76 w 136 inches

"L'Atelier" is disarming and stimulating. There is movement among the characters who range from a nude Roman soldier, to a rotund Playboy Bunny type, to the artist himself painting à la Velázquez. It seems an awkward kind of party with a lone, clownish girl at its center staring downward. This atmosphere is the opposite of the neoclassical debauchery of “The Seven Sins” that hangs nearby. Nude bodies intertwine, telling an orgy-ish tale. One of his regular models who appears throughout the show is here as the one of the only clothed figures. He seems to represent the deadly sin of Pride in his garish furred jacket, rings, and cockiness.

“Respond” as a whole asks us to consider taboo, desire, and our need for attention, as well as our discomfort with the invasion of our space. It is a provocative show with a glare of naughtiness and a sincere understanding of the human condition that permeates the room. It is an exhibition not to be missed.

Through July 11, Ann Nathan Gallery, 212 W. Superior