Helga S. Orthofer at Berkshire Community College
Koussevitizky Art Gallery in Pittsfield
By: Charles Giuliano - 04/21/2010
Helga S. Orthofer
Paintings in Memoriam of John Kaiser
Koussevitzky Art Gallery
1350 West Street
Pittsfield, Mass. 01201
March 8 to April 23, 2010
The Austrian artist, Helga S. Orthhofer barely made it home in time for a scheduled gallery talk which was well attended. It seems she was lucky to catch one of the last flights before the volcano in Iceland closed airports and halted international travel for more than a week.
To a gathering of manyl friends she spoke warmly of the joy of creating art. As well as the lost this past year of her husband. This exhibtion is presented in memory of John Kaiser.
Several months ago we visited her spacious Stockbridge studio and previewed some of the works in the exhibition. There was a stack of framed works on paper depicting fire hydrants. She referred to them not as objects but as "portraits." It was amusing that she identitied each one and its specific location.
While she paints objects. in that sense, still life subjects, they are all animated with personal references and insights.The images are loaded with signifiers that invite us to expand them into stories and fantasies. The paintings come to life with rich and charming associations.