| Portraiture, one of the oldest forms of art making, historically reflected individuals in high positions of power. Zander Bice, grandson of Spanish painter and royal portraitist Ricardo Macarrón, has clear lineage with this artistic prowess though has moved from the courts to views of modern life.
Reality|Fantasy, Bice's first solo exhibition reflects the two focuses of his work: portraits of friends and family and inventive drawings depicting an imagined world that parallels American life. Four of the portraits in the exhibition, created in oil on canvas, take on the large scale of history measuring six feet by four feet and capture full figures with regal demeanor. But there, the comparison ends.
Sitters — family and friends — are presented in candid environments that speak to their lifestyles and identity, capturing various moods that invite contemplation as to their character and thoughts. "Amama", a portrait of Bice's grandmother completed in colored pencil and oil pastel, offers a unique perspective that clearly presents the subjects towering personality.
The colored pencil drawings per the artist, "portray an amalgamation of archetypes of businessmen, private investigators, and comic book supervillians," characters deep in American mythology. Through the bifurcating focuses, the fantastical and the real, the artist aims to represent the internal and external interpretations of contemporary life.
Zander Bice (b 1988) is based in Berkeley, CA. Originally trained as an illustrator at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Zander has worked in both commercial art as well as exhibiting artwork in group shows in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.
On Sunday, August 10, beginning at 3:30 pm, the artist will be in conversation with exhibition curator, Alida Bray.
Zander Bice
Sanchez Art Center is located at 1220 Linda Mar Blvd in Pacifica, about a mile east of Highway 1. Following opening night, the galleries are open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 1–5 pm, and by appointment, through Aug 10.
The opening, talks, and gallery visits are free as part of the Center's focus on "Creating Community through Art".
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