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Exhibit Heads In 'Exciting' Direction

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By JESSICA BAIR, The Suncoast News

Published: October 10, 2007

HOLIDAY - French artist Marcel Duchamp is hailed as one of the 20th century's most important cultural figures. He shocked the establishment with his idea that art could take any form.

He's also the guy who, to illustrate his point, took a white porcelain urinal, signed it 'R. Mutt,' dubbed it 'Fountain' and displayed it in 1917.

Vahak Sarkis draws on Duchamp's influence, and his critics' denunciations, for a 20-year retrospective titled 'You Call This Art?' The free exhibit runs Friday through Nov. 19 at The Arts Center, home of the Pasco Arts Council, at 5744 Moog Road.
Sarkis describes his show as an 'unpredictable and exciting new direction,' compared with his early sculptures formed in traditional media such as cast bronze, welded steel, stone and wood. His newer works employ 'found,' or ready-made, art, defined as objects that normally serve a mundane purpose, like a urinal. Duchamp is credited with coining the term 'found art.'
Sarkis assembles unrelated items to tell stories from current events, mythology, history or religion.

'The idea that anything can be used as art opened up a new venue for artists like myself,' the sculptor said.

The Holiday resident, who grew up in Cairo, Egypt, moved to Florida in 1984 and now maintains a studio in Tarpon Springs. He travels extensively throughout the United States and Europe, finding items to use along the way.
Sarkis just returned from the Northeast, where he collected three items to be seen in the exhibit, he said.

Before earning a degree in fine arts at the University of South Florida, Sarkis had a 25-year career as a chemistry professor at The State University of New York.

'I wanted a switch from the specific discipline of chemistry to the chaotic world of art,' said Sarkis.

For more than 20 years he has exhibited along the East Coast. His last show was in 2002.

The retrospective will feature 40 to 45 pieces. He hopes viewers will be challenged by his work, and they will be able to post their impressions on a 'comment wall.'

The Arts Center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

A reception with the artist is set for 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 19. For details, call (727) 845-7322 or go to www.pascoart.org.

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