Hyde, James
Progressive commissioned the site-specific work RISE in 1993 for this monumental 80 foot atrium in the East Campus building. Toby Lewis, Progressive's curator had been following Hyde's career since 1985 and knew him to be an exciting, intelligent painter. Progressive owns 6 other works by the artist. The artist has suspended four monochromatic fresco paintings on Styrofoam from the brick wall. The physicality of these structures contributes to the overall effect which is awesome and engaging. Vibrant saturated color pigment illuminates the stark space while the materials used add an element of whimsy and humor. Hyde explores the subtle relationships between space, volume and color. The emphasis on materials has always been an integral part of Jim's art. He systematically experiments with the mechanics of painting and pushes painting to its outer limits. As a result, his use of Styrofoam with fresco painting did not come as a surprise. Hyde covered the Styrofoam with layers of plaster which adds to the tactility of the works, their very texture enticing the viewer. The edges of the surface are uneven, hinting at the large amount of physical labor involved in their creation. Hyde was a perfect candidate for this difficult space because he is also a problem solver. This difficult but exciting commission seemed made for him--he knew how to activate the space. Hyde is interested in "architectural space and the effect of proportion, and he has the tenacity to explore this subject with intense precision...to such a successful degree that the space is activated, almost animated." It is as if the work creates a new spatial ordering. RISE is illusive, both weighty and weightless, complete and fragmentary. The Styrofoam "chunks" at first could be mistaken for archeological ruins left over from a dig. When the material is exposed to the viewer they become almost weightless as if floating and rising upward. Hyde also retains the rectangle as the constant of his paintings: it is his signature. Jim Hyde was born in 1958, in Philadelphia, PA and studied art and archeology at the University of Rochester. He has been exhibiting his work since the early 1980s and has had solo exhibitions at galleries worldwide. His work has been included in group exhibitions such as: "Re-Framing Cartoons," Wexner Center For The Arts, OH and "International Biennial of Paper Art," Leopold-Hoesch Museum, Duren, Germany which traveled to Denmark, Japan and Canada. Hyde's work is in the collections of: The Brooklyn Museum, NY; Allen Memorial Art Museum, OH; Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY. 1993.023