French artists Kennett and Weil have backgrounds in sculpture, but Kennett takes a new route with his chalk-based pieces. Weil delves into the study of movement and energy of stones with granite and slate (or ardoise). He builds his sculptures with an iron-rod spine, sometimes a spiral one, supporting the layered pieces of stone in colors ranging from light brown to black. One of his sculptures is functional, having the ability to move up and down. Other pieces strut up or form jagged edges. Contrasting Weil’s bland sculptures are Kennett’s only slightly better chalk drawings on slate. His past creations of animal sculptures are more interesting than his current line. Using his left hand (even though he’s right handed), Kennett constructs white and colored sketched images drawn on a black background framed by wood. The first series contains individual white chalk outlines of a bat, an elk, people and basic nature images. Other panels feature colorful tropical visuals with a panther lurking in the grass giving into nature’s primitive urges. Another series focuses on profiles of people and sex. The sketches look like they belong in a fifth grade art class, but maybe that’s the point. (Garin Pirnia)
Through April 1 at Th!nkArt, 1530 N. Paulina, (773)252-2294.
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