art commentary With Marion Wolberg Weiss

Billy Sullivan at Guild Hall

An odd phenomenon occurs when we designate "Billy Sullivan at Guild Hall." It's not merely the idea that Sullivan's works are in an exhibit at Guild Hall - rather, it's as if the artist himself is hanging out there.

Such is the nature of not only Sullivan's pervasive personality but also the show's personal nature. Thus, we sense that we're beginning to "know" the artist's cast of characters, whether they are friends, family or pets.

Since we're not privy to Sullivan's private and professional life, nor do we keep up with society gossip, we aren't sure who is who, but it doesn't matter. Our imagination runs wild as we are drawn to the people captured on canvas. Simply put, Sullivan has a special knack for evoking his subjects' colorful behavior, clothes, antics and often ambiguous life style. Additionally, and more importantly, we as viewers want to learn more about Sullivan's characters. And we can't help but compare such a reaction to Andy Warhol's depictions of his own associates.

There are other aspects that interest us - people's names and their relationship to each other. Consider the genderless designation of individuals like "Ricky," "Alessio," "Cookie" and "Sirpa." While it's usually clear in the paintings who is male or female, the names themselves could be androgynous. (The figure of Alessio London literally falls into this category.)

We can't quite pinpoint the relationship between Sullivan's figures either. Take, for example, "Louie and Ricky," where the two men seem lost in their own thoughts, each looking into the distance. Two women, "Cookie & Sharon," suggest the same demeanor. (An exception is "Klaus and Clarissa," who are looking directly at each other with their backs to the spectator.)

Sullivan's single figures appear immersed in their own worlds as well. Often, this emersion is outside the context of the image itself. Such examples include the dog, "Mimosa," who's watching something beyond the picture plane. "Alessio London" is also looking out the window of a car. With "Sirpa's Back," the female figure is still distanced from the setting, burying herself in the bed sheets.

Finally, Sullivan's penchant for objects represents another salient aspect: Sirpa's breakfast food; Klaus and Clarissa's bedspread / umbrella; Cookie & Sharon's car dashboard. Sullivan possesses a unique talent for making the inanimate seem animate. In fact, the word "animation" pretty much characterizes the artist's entire body of work.

This exhibit will be on view until Oct. 14 at East Hampton's Guild Hall.

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