The Haircut (2004), by Shary Boyle : a sample of what you'll find in Witness My Shame

With a smirk and a smattering of humour Boyle has a knack for conveying the pain, awkwardness and the ugly beauty of growing up. Depictions of shattered dreams, altered states and being downright horny are conveyed honestly and are easy to identify with. Even though the work is sometimes difficult to be with, its glaring honesty and the black-and-white format intensify its accessibility.

The book reads like a visual diary and is drawn with an unabashed directness. Though not all of the sketchbooks within Witness My Shame are on equal footing, the entirety is undeniably filled with brilliance.

Dave Cooper's pillowy women : exploring the ugly side of beauty

In contrast to Boyles's low-fi, matte graphic novel, Dave Cooper's follow up to 2003's Overbite is a full-colour glossy coffee table book titled Underbelly (Fantagraphic Books), filled with what the artist calls his "pillowy girls" from between 2003 and 2004. Cooper's oil paintings of voluptuous women in undergarments and performing devious acts are rich and masterfully painted. The book also includes a few loose, preliminary pencil sketches and ink drawings, all giving an insight into the various techniques Cooper employs. Underbites' softer scenes of romping and frolicking in idyllic woods are not as prevalent in Underbelly. Cooper's women are now more frequently set in urban landscapes which give the images a grittier, greasier feel. Though their forms are round, their temperaments are far from soft. With teeth bared and wide eyes, these grinning girls bite, prod and probe each other with wicked glee. Cooper's images are an onslaught of masochism and submission, soft and hard, the duality between beauty and ugliness as he sees it.

Unfortunately, Cooper's work looses its luminosity through the printing process. Colours are dulled and altered and the sheen of Cooper's meticulous glazing technique is diminished. Like countless art books its print doesn't compare with experiencing the original artwork. But it may be the only way we will be able to see Cooper's work, now that his popularity has skyrocketed and he is exhibiting in galleries from LA to New York.

Where Boyle's drawings are raw and tough, Cooper's style is soft and undulating. Where Boyle explores many themes, Cooper joyfully focuses on one. The similarity lies in the worlds to which both artists allow us access. It is refreshing to see artists such as Boyle and Cooper having publications that are both affordable (both books are priced around $20) and produced well enough for those of us who enjoy their work but cannot afford it.

To see more work by Shary Boyle visit www.sharyboyle.com and for more of Dave Cooper's work visit www.davegraphics.com.

 
 

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