Pop
artist uses guns and roses
for his creations.
By GENTRY BENJAMIN
Staff Writer
Plenty of shooting went on Friday at Bonnette Hunting Preserve.
Bullets whizzed through the air and hit their target.
But the trophy for the living room wall won't be a moose head.
Instead, that space over the sofa might be graced with a work by pop
artist Reza.
As an artist, Reza always goes with Inspiration. And when inspiration
hit about a year ago, it said, "Guns and Roses. "
Not the rock music group. Actual guns, as in, "Will you need some
rounds for this purchase, Sir?" and roses, as in, "Honey, I low,
you. The artist wanted to express life, and fie put the two together
because they are total extremes.
The "Guns and Roses" series will consist of flowers painted
off regular canvases and canvases containing bullet holes.
Inspiration sent Reza to Holland to paint the flowers. One of the
paintings is Beautiful Morning, a collection of pink roses.
The bullet-hole works will be both plain metal sheets and painted canvas Reza
firing into the metal sheeting catches the bullet expression better
than painting it.
One bullet canvas, Blue steel depicts an outline of a dead body. Bullet
holes dotted the canvas.
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Other, white metal canvases just contain bullet holes.
Reza said he would not paint the metal because the works can speak for
themselves.
"There is no statement I can make that is stronger than the
paintings themselves," he said.
At Bonnette, a hunting club west of Palm Beach Gardens,
sharpshooter Court Swett got the target in his sights, But he had trouble
seeing the connection between bullets and art."I think it's rather
ridiculous. It just doesn't seem that much like art,"
said "Swett, of West Palm Beach, "But what do I know? I just
"shoot for a living."
Others found the work commendable, and different.
Bruce Helander, owner of the Helander Gallery of Palm Beach, said the
idea was a sharp one.
"It looks like he's on target," Helander said, playing with
words, "But it may be a shot in the dark."
Publicist Deirdre Sykes said Reza's works are valued from $5,000
to $20,000. The Roof Gardens of West Palm Beach will showcase the
"Guns and Roses" series the late fall, Sykes, said.
The Persian born artist made his home in the United States 20
years ago and became a U.S. citizen.
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A painting by pop artist Reza is
hanged and a bullet
was fired into it. His "Guns and Roses" series will consist of
flowers painted on regular canvases and canvases containing bullet holes.
Artist Reza tells sharpshooter Court Swett at the Bonnette Hunting
Preserve what he wants shot on a blank canvas.
Staff photos / ROBERT MAYER
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