The Helm satisfies hunger for unconventional art

For those who prefer their art in a little less orthodox style, The Helm Gallery at 760 S. Broadway offers its new exhibit, "Don't Be Absurd…Be Absurd" as a breath of fresh air. The friendly staff held a well attended opening for November Art Walk Nov. 15 and those who ventured out on the rainy night were treated to a spread of great food and even a pair of light up glasses to wear. It is a fun place and the art unveiled that night reflects this atmosphere where art is free to be what it wants to be.

"Don't Be Absurd…Be Absurd" features nine artists from around the United States, each with something very different to say. Jimmy Joe Roche took the direct approach. In a two-minute video called "YouTube Apocalypse" he looks right at the camera and talks about his theory that Americans need to wake up to the threat of an apocalypse that looms over a society that has blindly embraced the YouTube phenomenon.   

Darin Shuler's wonderful "Sea Unicorn" series should put a quizzical grin on any viewer's face. He draws a mythological sea creature called a Narwhal that looks kind of whale-like and with a unicorn's spike sticking out of its head. He imagines the creature in all sorts of off-the-wall scenarios. "An Attempt to Demystify the Narwhal" shows a specimen dissected like on the page of a medical textbook, its body cut into crosswise slices and lettered to coincide with some explanatory key. "Werewhal" shows the creature in a forest sprouting big hairy man arms as it turns into a werewolf...umm, werewhal. The poor thing looks frazzled – other woodland creatures look on in shocked amazement.

Accompanying Shuler's drawings is an old, rusty tin utility box sitting on a little shelf. It is packed with boxed playing card-sized mini-prints of Shuler's art. Through some ingenious methods he made the boxes to look quite antique, like retro first aid kits from the 1930s, holding Narwhal brand bandages and ammonia inhalants. It is wacky and so clever, a quirky treat to run into at a gallery in a town with such a rich maritime history as Tacoma's.

On the wall across from Shuler's work is a collection of mysterious and compelling photographs by William Hundley. His subject is a piece of fabric floating in mid air but looking like there is someone, or something, underneath it. The shape of the fabric suggests more than just a gust of wind that has given it motion. The fabric looks as if it is moving in a strange sort of dance. Each photograph seems like a moment in time caught on film as if someone with a camera happened to capture clear and convincing shots of a UFO sighting. The shrouded figure's color causes it to stand out from its surroundings. It casts a definite shadow as well, making it seem all that more real hovering at the seashore, on a street corner or some other average place.     

Artist Trevor Dickson contributed many pieces to this exhibit, line drawings that defy description as a whole. Each framed piece is an individual with lots of personality. "mmm! black mayo!!!" shows a seated woman eating a sandwich, her face and blouse covered in black mayo that is dripping from between the bread slices. "underwater battle equipment" is a collection of just that – the artist drew a disguise helmet, a half wet suit, yellow socks, a CO2 pellet gun and an electric harpoon.

This exhibit has lots of great art to see – drawings by Eric Shaw and self-described "thriftstoremodernist" Seth Adelsberger, big floor sculptures by Matt Vanhorn, and works by multimedia artist James Orlando. "Guilty Quilty" is the name of Mike Andrews' collection of quilts made in all sorts of shapes from a varied bunch of print fabrics.

The new kid on the block among galleries in downtown Tacoma, The Helm is definitely worth checking out. Exhibits are changed monthly featuring art created locally and around the world. "Don't Be Absurd…Be Absurd" is on view until Dec. 8. For more information, call (253) 627-8845 or visit http://www.thehelmgallery.com.

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