Blood and Ink - A. Conway Hubbard

"Blood and Ink"

A. Conway Hubbard

POVevolving Gallery, Los Angeles.

I discovered this show last weekend while wandering through the Chung King Road galleries in Chinatown. The exhibition consisted of approximately 30 original prints by Los Angeles-based artist A. Conway Hubbard - who happens to be the son of L. Ron Hubbard! Hubbard uses drypoint intaglio printing, a printing process in which a copper plate is inscribed directly with a steel needle. As press release described the show: "For this exhibition, Hubbard has printed each intaglio plate in varying ways, using both traditional black inks and his specially created 'blood ink.'" And yes, "blood ink" refer to just that - ink in which Hubbard's own blood is the primary ingredient.

In terms of style, the nudes themselves were beautifully rendered, almost photo-realistic in detail. Due to subtle blurring that occurs as result of drypoint process, the black ink prints took on a distinctively “antique” look. Moreover, as shown in the below left photo, many of the prints were created with a curved edge on top, a format characteristic of the daguerreotype. Hubbard’s framing choices furthered this “antique photo” style. All the black-inked prints were framed either next to the reddish “blood ink” plates; the effect was much like that of a photo and its negative.

Beyond Hubbard’s stylistic choices, however, I found it particularly interesting to consider “Blood and ink” – and it’s portrayals of the female form – within the context of our class discussion on feminist critiques of art. His portrayal of the female body did not fit with that of Chicago or Bengalis (who sought to discover an essential “female” art), nor did it fit with Kelley (who questioned the social construction of feminity and the female form). Rather, his prints reminded me of the work of Lucien Freud – technically suburb, expertly executed, but ultimately objectifying and somewhat disturbing. If anything, Hubbard’s prints resembled vintage porn photos.

This disconnect from a feminist art critique was only furthered when I read Hubbard’s bio in the press release. Describing his background, it notes: “Drawing was never easy for him but his passion drove him forward despite the many defeats…through careful study and application, he was eventually to succeed in developing a unique and distinctive technique and style.” Clearly, Hubbard views himself as a masculine “master painter” of old, who struggles valiantly to create his art.

While I can’t say I was a fan of Hubbard’s prints, the show was nothing if not intriguing.