UNM graduate student David Leigh has a way of expressing the most primitive of human emotions without ever saying a word.
With only graphite on paper he is able to communicate something visceral and raw that he hopes will elicit a response in everyone who visits his show, "Gold, Golden the Drawings of David Leigh," at The Walls Gallery.
"I want people to take away an experience of a different kind of space, a full experience of the gallery and to see something they usually don't see," Leigh said.
Leigh has been studying art seriously for the last eight years and has dedicated his education to the advancement of his skill.
"I'm a painter first and foremost," he said.
He talks about his work with the same directness that his artwork displays.
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"My work is imaginative, straightforward and a little strange. But above all, I'm an activist, and I hope to achieve a certain honesty in my work."
Leigh brought his love of painting right into the gallery space, as underneath his drawings are his paintings that further the dimensions of this show. Each piece reflects a multitude of human experience in everyone of its layers and gestures. The paintings on the walls of the gallery only expand that idea.
While in a certain sense Leigh's exhibit evokes many of the same feelings that illustrator Ralph Steadman has been able to achieve during his career, there is nothing predictable or clichÇd in any of the dozen or so abstract illustrations on display. Leigh attributes this to his attention to detail, the importance he places on line-work and his personal feelings for each piece.
"The thing about this show is that a lot of these pieces have never been seen by anyone," he said. "When I was going through everything to find my favorites, I had literally stacks of drawings and these were the ones chosen."
When asked to pick his favorite piece, Leigh could only say, "They are all very personal to me and all have their place. I think that if any of them sell, I'm going to miss them."
After graduation, Leigh wants to become more involved with the art exhibit and gallery system and desires to travel more widely to showcase his art to a larger audience.
"I want to show my art in different places. Basically, I'll go anywhere I can drive," he said. Although the drawings in the show are rather small, Leigh usually works on a much lager scale with his paintings, which doesn't make for easy transportation.
"Gold, Golden" officially opens this Friday, Jan. 23, but the illustrations have been on display since Jan. 16 and will be open to the public until Feb 1.
On Saturday Jan. 31, Leigh will host a screening at the gallery by local and national filmmakers at 8 p.m. The screening is free to the public, but donations will be accepted.
The What, When and Where
What: "Gold, Golden the Drawings of
David Leigh"
When: Through Feb. 1, 6:30-9:30 p.m.; Opening reception Jan. 23, 6-9 p.m. Friday, Saturday
Where: The Walls
510 Central Ave. SE
Tickets and info: 489-2644
