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Davidson Galleries presents the drypoints or engravings of Norwegian artist Arne Bendik Sjur. The small scale of each work and the artist's meticulous rendering draws the viewer into a world filled with minutia. Most images are thematically tied to an evolving series or cycle. He accomplishes this through working on a single plate, printing an edition, then reworking the existing incised surface and printing subsequent editions. By obscuring pre-existing parts and adding new elements to create a new picture he is able to portray time, transformation, and metamorphosis. Sjur asserts in his work the concept that physical realities are transient. A portrait may transform from a youthful face to that of an aged and dying figure. Sjur hopes to make his viewers psychologically react to the metamorphosis. In the case of the portraits, insecurities and fears involving death may be aroused. While psychological content of portraits can be obvious, Sjur remarkably obtains a related effect in landscapes as well. In his series depicting Chinese cave dwellings, the scene evolves from a picturesque, sunlit village to individual homes engulfed in a black sea of night. By removing the bustling activities of a community, the artist conveys a state of isolation. Through cycles such as these, Sjur's images engage people in thought and emotion.
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