A History Lesson, Ken Kaminski Style
Since the beginning of mankind, humans have recorded narratives and utilized history to learn about the past, understand the present, and possibly predict the future.
Abstract Expressionist Ken Kaminski chose to narrate the events of 911, the recovery period that continues to unfold, as well as the period before Sept. 11, 2001 through hues of purple, yellow, red, blue, black, and white.
On Jan. 31, 2015, Kaminski’s “Recovery Paintings” exhibit opened at Walter Wickiser Gallery, and is comprised of seven paintings: Baghdad (1991), Wounded Towers (2002), Collapse (2011), Intersection (2011), Intersection 2 (2011), and Ghost Towers (2011).
On the crisp white walls of this Chelsea gallery, Kaminski’s paintings and the story they convey take on new life.
The tale begins with Baghdad. Geometric shapes burst from a tawny plain. Waves of red and black anchor the bottom of the painting. These impressions look like oil and the blood that has been shed for that oil. Dead center is a bull’s eye. If a history buff was inclined to trace back the events that led to 9/11 one would have to make a stop at Baghdad, in fact, some might argue it was the first ground zero.
Wounded Towers goes straight to the center of that horrible day. As the towers bend, slowly yielding to their fate, bold colors of red, white, blue, yellow, green, and black entangle on the canvas. The agony of the fuming towers is consciously and unconsciously evident. As I peered at the heart of the painting, I saw an under case “p” resting in the middle. Upon viewing it I was gob smacked! P…pain. There is so much pain associated with that day, and why haven’t I ever used that word to describe those events before?
Collapse is an overwhelmingly tumultuous piece. The tower is taken asunder in copious shades of blue and black, streaks of yellow and orange, and a splash of red. As with Wounded Towers, a “p” appears in the center of the painting. It’s dark and sweeps over you like a tidal wave.
Intersection and Intersection 2 are a return to the geometric shapes that are present in Baghdad, only these shapes are surrounded by thicker, darker hues. The dense globules of paint reminded me of the soot that covered the surrounding area of Ground Zero or the heavy plumes of smoke that hovered over the smoldering remnants for days. Like its title, these works act as a conduit linking what was to what is, and possibly of what might be.
Ghost Towers is a piece with spiritual dimensions. In this work Kaminski pays homage to lives lost on 9/11.
In total, all these works tell a distinct story about history from a very distinct point of view. Kaminski sociopolitical fusion of the events of 9/11 in his work was a part of his recovery, a way to reconcile the horror and enormity of a moment in time that continues to affect us.
Indeed, his recovery has become our recovery and as we continue to reflect on 9/11 while trying to navigate our present and future, Kaminski gives a starting point that can be used in our healing as we continue to record and create history.
F.A.M.E NYC Magazine 2015
