BEAUTY: Painting--Polly Shindler

The subject of a painting can be as varied (and numerous) as painters themselves. And the subjects of paintings have been at the center of debates in the art world for some time: what subject is or isn't "worthy" of being painted, which is connected to the wider debate of what constitutes art at all.

So the scenes painted by Polly Shindler could fall into such a debate...are her scenes of unremarkable interior life "worthy" of being captured and presented as art? Of course I say yes, and I offer a funny anecdote in support. In the 90s, I plastered my refrigerator with all the refrigerator magnets du jour, the kind everyone had: it was the magnetic David by Michelangelo paper doll cut out with all the various clothes in which to dress him, a few sets of magnetic poetry kits, a large colorful plastic set of children's alphabet magnets, and lots of fun and funky post cards held by magnets of various shapes and colors. The refrigerator itself was a work of art. I was aware that we were living in a rental home, and that one day I would no longer live in that space with that fun refrigerator covered with so much color, form, humor, irreverence, and whimsy so I took a picture of it. Now keep in mind that this was before cellphones with cameras, so to actually take a photo with a 35mm camera required commitment. But committed I was to capturing this moment of my life. I had some friends who thought it was a little odd that I took a picture of my refrigerator without anyone or anything else in it...just the fridge. But I am so glad I did because it froze a little part of my life, just for that moment, and when I look at the picture, I am taken back to the sounds, smells, and sights of that younger, lighter part of my life.

Polly Shindler's sweetly naïve images have that sense about them. These seemingly mundane spots in a home--a bathroom with a black tile floor with white grout, a well-organized closet, a cleverly built-in spice rack in a kitchen, a laundry room with stacks of satisfyingly folded clothing, and a telephone gossip chair and a Staffordshire dog lamp inherited from a beloved grandmother--are the fibers that make up memories of where we call home. The core of Shindler's work is about a sense of place and love and safety. And that is beyond worthy of being recorded and captured for posterity.

Top to bottom: The Bar Cart; Bathroom With Matisse Show Poster; Bedroom With Paint Samples; Closet With Robes; Curio Cabinet; Spice Rack; Staffordshire Dog Lamp; Telephone Gossip Table; Three Remotes; Washer and Dryer

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