Wit and Whimsy Unite at Rye Arts Center

In Rye Arts Center (RAC)’s current exhibition, the works of two seemingly different artists sit side by side. The artists belong to different generations and work in different media – one in paper, the other in sculpture. However, in this whimsical show, they “complement” each other so much so that the exhibition is named just that: Complements: Charles Addams & Suzanne Heilmann. 

The works were brought together by Kevin Miserocchi, Trustee of the Tee and Charles Addams Foundation, which is “dedicated to the artistic advancement” of Addams, a prolific cartoonist for The New Yorker and the creator of The Addams Family characters. The artist is often associated with Halloween and macabre. However, according to the RAC curator and gallery manager, Sarah Mackay, Miserocchi underscores that this is a common misconception caused by the promotion of the Addams Family characters in popular media. Through the work of the Foundation, Miserocchi reminds the public that Addams’ creativity goes far beyond such trivialization, emphasizing that wit and humor are the driving forces of his cartoons. Mackay articulates that Charles Addams was not “a dark wallflower stuck in the room,” but a light-hearted, satirical social commentator – and the exhibition aims to dissuade the audience “from the pre-conceived notion that Addams was a doom and gloom character.” 

Complementing Addams is contemporary artist and self-proclaimed “texturalist,” Suzanne Heilmann. Her signature technique is to apply multiple layers of oil paint to transform repurposed clothing and other found objects into whimsical sculptures that create a sense of nostalgia with a hint of mystery. In addition, Heilmann, who considers Louis Nevelson an inspiration for her abstract sculptures, explores light effects in complex textures that are produced by combining recycled metal, fabric, paper and wood. In her installation One by One: 24 Squares, consisting of 24 individual white abstract 3D artworks, Heilmann experiments with textures, shapes and shadows. However, the use of some of the recycled materials, like bottle cups or packing supplies, adds a playful dimension.

While the two artists were not inspired by each other, the commonalities are apparent throughout the exhibition. To highlight the similarities, the artworks are grouped by shared themes. Mackay notes: “There are different takes on the same characters, images and topics. Artworks are in conversation with one another, balancing each other, creating context…”

For instance, the most elaborate of Heilmann’s sculptures, Taxi, is displayed next to Addams’s Stormy Weather drawing, accompanied by its corresponding The New Yorker article. Taxi is constructed out of a painted old trench coat and gloves holding an old umbrella. Despite the absence of the person inside the coat, the bad weather is captured by wrinkles, flying coat hems and a tilted, broken umbrella hinting at wind, the glossiness of the white oil paint creating the illusion of wet fabric after the rain. Addams’ cartoon, on the other hand, depicts two people at the Grand Central Terminal conversing with an information booth clerk. The illustration is accompanied by witty captions from the subjects as they comment on the weather. In different ways, both provide humorous takes on people’s desire to shield themselves from the fickleness of nature. 

Another fun duo is Heilman’s bodiless, but still “realistic,” The Butler, holding a coffee tray with all necessary accessories. It’s paired next to Addams’s drawing “Oh, it’s you! For a moment you gave me quite a start,” depicting his characters Morticia Addams and her butler, Lurch,who is in a  full butler uniform with the same coffee service tray.

The exhibition presents many other satirical pairs depicting recognizable subjects, such as cooking, cleaning, birds in cages, pet frogs, violin lessons, and even the Brooklyn Bridge. All of them confirm what the RAC website calls “art imitating art, without knowing it” and all support the Addams Foundation’s goal of keeping Charles Addams’ legacy alive by placing his work in creative dialogue with contemporary artists while boosting the visibility of those artists in the process.

The exhibition is on view through November 15 and is accompanied by writing and cartooning workshops.

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_{Photos (top to bottom): Butler by Suzanne Heilmann (photo courtesy of Rye Arts Center); (left) Taxi by Suzanne Heilmann and (right) Stormy Weather by Charles Addams (photo credits: Yana Rolnik); “Oh, it’s you. For a moment you gave me quite a start. ” ©1939 Charles Addams Renewed 1966 With permission Tee & Charles Addams Foundation}