Jacqueline Levine’s exhibit “Temptation” is all about fear, but it’s probably the least frightening exhibit in the entire city. That’s because Levine’s cartoon world combats fear with happiness and confidence, and the whimsicality and beauty of her work ensures that, just by walking into the exhibit at the Flashpoint Gallery in Metro Center, you’re halfway there.
Levine, a 2004 AU graduate, transformed the gallery space into a comic-book fantasyland that she said draws on her dreams. The result is an exhibit that acknowledges the presence of fear, but rebels against it through positivity.
“There’s fear all around us all the time, but we don’t have to succumb to it,” Levine said. “As long as people are confident and happy, their fears will be kept at bay.”
Keith Haring, whose cartoon figures defined pop-surrealism and paved the way for happier, more optimistic art, heavily influences Levine’s style. Haring’s unrelenting optimism and injection of happiness into art inspired Levine to expand the exhibit into a form of social activism, launching an initiative called “Rebel Against Fear,” through which she hopes to spread her message of happiness and positivity.
“I became very interested in how we were reacting to what’s going on around us, and I noticed that people are having very heavy reactions to everything,” Levine said. “I saw a documentary called ‘The Universe of Keith Haring’ and saw how he took the fear and negativity of his time and created things that inspired people to be happy instead.”
In that sense, Haring is not only a stylistic inspiration, but also the perfect example of the ideal portrayed. When Haring was diagnosed with AIDS, he didn’t let it weigh down his work; instead, he continued producing the same playful, inspiring and fun work that he’d produced for his entire life, refusing to let negativity eclipse his message of hope and happiness.
This act of defiance clearly had just as much of an effect on Levine’s work as Haring’s technique had on her style.
Of course, part of the beauty of Levine’s work is that it doesn’t rely on its message to be enjoyable. Even if the message goes completely over your head, the exhibit will still bring a smile to your face, as it did for every small child who was brought in.
The whimsical, cartoon style also allows Levine to make somewhat cliché statements about overcoming fear and the importance of self-confidence without them ever feeling contrived or worn out. Levine, as artists today need to be, is gifted at making a statement that we’ve heard a million times and making it still feel fresh and uplifting.
Although the playful nature and wide appeal of Levine’s work will inevitably cause some to call its artistic authenticity into question, its message works because of, rather than despite, its pop characteristics.
The relevance of Levine’s work is undeniable when talking to her, because she lives the lifestyle that her art preaches. Levine lives in the cartoon world she’s created and transports others there too.
smeehan@theeagleonline.com
