About Hooper C. Dunbar
|
After 50 years abroad, Los Angeles born painter Hooper C. Dunbar has resettled in Granite Bay, California. His extensive range of work is represented in numerous private collections, principally in New York, London, Hong Kong, Verona and Sydney His paintings have been exhibited by Ethan Cohen Fine Arts, Manhattan, the United Nations Offices of the Baha'i International Community, NY, the executive offices of SOHO China in Beijing and ART Silicon Valley. He divides his time between private studios in California and Spain.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES 1937 Born in Los Angeles, California. 1955-56 Worked in mosaic mural production; began scenic design and execution. 1956-58 Acted on stage in New York and LA, appeared in TV series and films. Painting with Leonard Herbert, and created expressionist painting in casein and oils. 1958-63 Moved to Nicaragua to support Baha’i educational activity; founded an art school in Bluefields and engaged in painting projects. Collaborated with the National Academy of Arts, Managua. 1962 Married Maralynn S. George in Tegucigalpa, Honduras 1963-73 Relocated to South America residing over the next decade in Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. Engaged in book design and production, translation services and lecturing. 1973-88 Appointed founding member of the Baha’i International Teaching Centre, Haifa, Israel. In this capacity traveled throughout the world. Continued drawing, pen and ink work, watercolor and casted sculpture. 1988 Elected to the Universal House of Justice, world governing body of the Baha’i Faith. 1988-2010 Established an art studio for production of larger acrylic works, with emphasis on abstract painting. Works began attracting art collectors on several continents, including in New York, Hong Kong, Verona and London. In Haifa, participated in an annual international art show. 2005-6 Established a second studio in Zaragoza, Spain, producing a first Spanish series of paintings and drawings. Chosen by the judges for inclusion in the summer festival of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Private showing of paintings in Knightsbridge arranged by London collector. 2005-6 Initiated “found images” photographic project; visited numerous European cites in pursuit of such photo images. 2007 Toured China, lecturing and presenting work in several venues, including a Beijing university and the National Academy of Arts outside Shanghai, showing both current paintings and photographic images. Installed works at the BIC United Nations Offices, U.N. Plaza, New York. Held a private showing of paintings in London. 2008-10 Intensive period of painting in Haifa studio. Produced documentary film footage on creation of paintings, personal observations about art, and development of “found” street images. 2008-10 Installed work in the offices of SOHO, Beijing, for CEO Zhang Xin. Showing in Manhattan of private collection for friends and curators. 2010 Retired as member of the Universal House of Justice. 2010 Relocated to Granite Bay, California. Established American studio, in a rural setting. Began first cycles of California paintings. Held a showing in Palo Alto of recent works in collaboration with a collector. Revisited several European countries, followed by a sojourn at the Zaragoza studio, creating a new series of Spanish paintings. 2011 First solo exhibition of paintings in New York, Ethan Cohen Fine Arts 2012-13 Representation of pairings in several international venues, Ethan Cohen Fine Arts 2016 Numerous paintings displayed by Ethan Cohen Fine Art at ART Silicon Valley 2017 Joint exhibition of paintings with Sarah Robarts organized by Vernissage LLC, West Hollywood. |
The Pursuit of Light as an Event in the Work of Hooper C. Dunbar
The paintings of Hooper Dunbar represent a landscape of the inner self—a place that evokes both satellite images of the earth's surface, and a topography of the hidden workings of the soul. His canvases are filled with symbols: Crosses, sometimes small and imperceptibly spinning, sometimes bold and imposing; angels that emerge from sculptural thickets of color; great shafts of light from above that crackle and cleave the canvas in two. These symbols have evolved in various guises through the decades of his work, from earlier jewels that appear as ancient, deconstructed Japanese tea bowls, to monumental paintings in which light finds its way to the spectator via concrete means.
The manner in which Dunbar configures this light goes beyond surface, beyond stylistic gestures. His paintings are effulgent—saturated with light. Canadian abstract painter, Otto Donald Rogers, describes Dunbar's work as possessing a "strong supernatural light presence that seems to transcend style." The paintings evoke some of the abstract expressionists' ideas concerning spontaneity, the unconscious, and the mind, while they also represent something new: the pursuit of light as an event; a form of devotional painting or "spiritual abstract expressionism" that explores the effects of light—on the canvas, and on the soul.
On the subject of inspiration and seeing, Dunbar says, "A significant part of our growth involves the polishing of the mirror of consciousness and keeping it focused on the sublime, disposed to receiving the intuitive light of knowledge. This under- standing crystallizes into various forms and reflections. The spontaneity of the painting process translates into multiple cycles of chance and choice involving texture, line, and color." This might serve as a description of his approach to painting.
As a young man, Dunbar was exposed to a number of generative artistic and spiritual experiences and influences. Throughout his years in Central and South
America, and then, in Israel, he has always been involved in art, as a teacher, appreciator and creator. But during the 1980s, a creative association with Otto Don Rogers started him painting in earnest.
Rogers observes, "If one looks at a work and knows consciously how it has evolved, that is problematic. The painting should transcend its own process. Otherwise it is too locked in its own evolution. One shouldn't be able to tell how it started. If you can count the decisions you are in trouble." A visitor to Dunbar's studio would find the painter engaged in a process that is part sporting event, part meditation and prayer. While watching, one cannot predict what a piece will become, as he unveils starkly different paintings-under-paintings. He circles around the piece, sits briefly in his chair, paces, looks at the canvas. Lines are corrected, water is poured, a sudden, spontaneous wash of white covers intricate, colorful graffito.
Throughout these stages Dunbar proceeds with a dynamic, focused attitude, following the promptings of the spirit. His techniques do not appear mechanical, forced, or self-conscious in the least. He seems compelled, and yet unconcerned when forces combine to turn things in an unforeseen direction. While a spectator might worry that his next intervention will obliterate the current iteration of the painting, he presses on and stops only when he has reached an intuitive state of completion, one that transcends its own process.
These nimble, inner adjustments, evident in his working process—that is, the cleansing of the mirror of the heart and seeking light as an event—are essential features of Dunbar's art.
Leili Towfigh
The paintings of Hooper Dunbar represent a landscape of the inner self—a place that evokes both satellite images of the earth's surface, and a topography of the hidden workings of the soul. His canvases are filled with symbols: Crosses, sometimes small and imperceptibly spinning, sometimes bold and imposing; angels that emerge from sculptural thickets of color; great shafts of light from above that crackle and cleave the canvas in two. These symbols have evolved in various guises through the decades of his work, from earlier jewels that appear as ancient, deconstructed Japanese tea bowls, to monumental paintings in which light finds its way to the spectator via concrete means.
The manner in which Dunbar configures this light goes beyond surface, beyond stylistic gestures. His paintings are effulgent—saturated with light. Canadian abstract painter, Otto Donald Rogers, describes Dunbar's work as possessing a "strong supernatural light presence that seems to transcend style." The paintings evoke some of the abstract expressionists' ideas concerning spontaneity, the unconscious, and the mind, while they also represent something new: the pursuit of light as an event; a form of devotional painting or "spiritual abstract expressionism" that explores the effects of light—on the canvas, and on the soul.
On the subject of inspiration and seeing, Dunbar says, "A significant part of our growth involves the polishing of the mirror of consciousness and keeping it focused on the sublime, disposed to receiving the intuitive light of knowledge. This under- standing crystallizes into various forms and reflections. The spontaneity of the painting process translates into multiple cycles of chance and choice involving texture, line, and color." This might serve as a description of his approach to painting.
As a young man, Dunbar was exposed to a number of generative artistic and spiritual experiences and influences. Throughout his years in Central and South
America, and then, in Israel, he has always been involved in art, as a teacher, appreciator and creator. But during the 1980s, a creative association with Otto Don Rogers started him painting in earnest.
Rogers observes, "If one looks at a work and knows consciously how it has evolved, that is problematic. The painting should transcend its own process. Otherwise it is too locked in its own evolution. One shouldn't be able to tell how it started. If you can count the decisions you are in trouble." A visitor to Dunbar's studio would find the painter engaged in a process that is part sporting event, part meditation and prayer. While watching, one cannot predict what a piece will become, as he unveils starkly different paintings-under-paintings. He circles around the piece, sits briefly in his chair, paces, looks at the canvas. Lines are corrected, water is poured, a sudden, spontaneous wash of white covers intricate, colorful graffito.
Throughout these stages Dunbar proceeds with a dynamic, focused attitude, following the promptings of the spirit. His techniques do not appear mechanical, forced, or self-conscious in the least. He seems compelled, and yet unconcerned when forces combine to turn things in an unforeseen direction. While a spectator might worry that his next intervention will obliterate the current iteration of the painting, he presses on and stops only when he has reached an intuitive state of completion, one that transcends its own process.
These nimble, inner adjustments, evident in his working process—that is, the cleansing of the mirror of the heart and seeking light as an event—are essential features of Dunbar's art.
Leili Towfigh