Symbols of Personal and Classical Mythologies

EAST PEORIA— On Aug. 21, the ICC Performing Arts Center opened a new exhibit called “Skalded in Oil” by Sean J. White, showing his work of oil on canvas. His work has been seen across the Midwest.

According to his website, White’s work blends of storytelling of pulp covers, comic books and graphic novels with the modernist theories of harmony in line and color as it was embraced by the Bauhaus, a school for art that included artists Wassily Kandinsky and Josef Albers.

White’s work shows personal and classical mythologies that create a tapestry of symbols into the misshapen figures that struggle in isolation.

Seen in one of his pieces, “Submerged” is a model figure under dark blue water with white bubbles floating above its head and on the top right edge light is shining down.

“To me, it seems peaceful when you look at it,” said Elizabeth Conners, of Peoria, about White’s piece ‘Submerged.’ “Just seeing this figure swimming in the water just makes me think of happy thoughts.”

Another piece of White’s work called “The Crucifixion of Robot St. Peter” is shown as figure upside down while lying on a cross as screws were put on his arms and the middle part of his body.

“It’s interesting to view this,” said Conners. “It’s just painful seeing that this figure gets screws put into him as someone else I know from the Bible.”

If you want to learn more about Sean J. White’s artwork, his exhibit will be displayed at the PAC until Sept. 13 or you can go to his website at http://www.seanjwhiteartist.com. He said to feel free to leave comments or ask a question about his work.