By Megan O’Brien, news correspondent
A paper mâché bust of Audrey Hepburn in “My Fair Lady” sits next to a portrait of Julia Roberts. The likenesses of a clay Coraline and ceramic C-3PO enliven a white wall. “The Pink Panther Theme” and other iconic musical moments in film serve as the soundtrack of a visit to Gateway Gallery’s “Homage to Film” exhibit.
Over 30 people contributed film-themed work including paintings and scupltures. Gateway artists are unique in that they are all adults with disabilities.
“I’ve seen some of these movies, so I love looking at [the artists’] interpretations,” Annette Born, a commercial realtor who attended the gallery’s reception, said.
Works on display are inspired by many facets of cinema, including actors, theaters, film characters, individual movies and the medium itself. Some subjects prove more popular than others and are arranged accordingly.
Three works pay tribute to one particularly favored flick: Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” (1963). A painting of black crows in various positions against a blue backdrop, a repeated arrangement of the phrase “bird movie” and an avian sculpture occupy one corner of the gallery.
Gateway’s informal setting provides a behind-the-scenes look at the art’s construction. The gallery and studios share space, allowing visitors to easily wander by a wall of finished work to the room where those pieces were produced. The work spaces are filled with tools for sculpture, painting and everything in between.
“Homage to Film” flows through a wide range of two- and three-dimensional mediums, further diversifying the exhibit and emphasizing each artist’s style.
The gallery has exclusively featured the art by people with disabilities since its opening in 1973.
“Many years ago, the many people coming out of the state schools for people who were called ‘retarded’ were coming into the community,” Rae Edelson, director of Gateway Arts, said. “Now, everyone is integrated. They’re out there. This is an opportunity for careers in the arts for people with disabilities.”
A large majority of those who attended the exhibit’s reception, like Born, are local supporters of the gallery.
“I support Gateway. I buy the art and display it in my house,” she said. “I have some favorite artists, some of whom have been with us for years. Whenever there is an event, I try and come.”
Interim professor at Simmons College Margaret Bush has a similar relationship with the Brookline gallery. The longstanding supporter let out a few laughs as she admired the artwork.
“I love the humor,” she said. “Especially in this [exhibit]. There’s such great humor.”
The display of cinema-inspired work was brought about in conjunction with the ReelAbilities Boston Film Festival. This event, running Feb. 19 to March 2, showcases movies about those living with disabilities.
“The upcoming films in places like ReelAbilities, the Jewish film festival, are so important because they give a voice to new filmmakers, to people with disabilities, to their stories,” Edelson said. “We are so excited about being associated with the fantastic film festival.”
“Homage to Film” is on display through Feb. 28 at Gateway Gallery, at 62 Harvard Street in Brookline.
Photo by Arzu Martinez
