Panoramic View: Tranquility

James Brantley, City Life, 2009, Acrylic
on canvas, 18" X 24"

If you attended the Art on the Town celebration on Friday night, you probably had the privilege of listening to James Brantley talk about his art and the exhibit "Tranquility." Though he and his agent spoke about a wide variety of topics including the obstacles facing African American artists, the vietnam war (very briefly), and convincing young artists that, yes, you do need a day job, I was especially interested in an offhand comment Brantley made about how he hopes the paintings in the exhibit will be viewed.

In case you haven't had a chance to look around the exhibit, I'll give you a quick crash course on the space.  Most of the paintings in the room are of vacant cityscapes with huge and beautifully painted skies. Though a painting here and there might have figures or the occasional tree or shrubbery in it, the majority of the paintings are devoted to showcasing solitary streets and brick buildings.

During his talk, Mr. Brantley remarked that he intended for his viewers to become a part of his paintings and, thus, part of the  urban space. Most of Bratley's works are on a large scale, so it isn't particularly difficult for a viewer to fling him or herself into the canvas (metaphorically speaking, of course. The DCCA does not wish you to launch yourself toward Mr. Brantley's work). One might expect this experience to be disorienting or overwhelming, but even I, a mousy little suburban girl, didn't lose my cool after allowing my gaze to take a stroll along Brantley's streets.


Cities are generally thought of as busy places teeming with hoards of people going about their daily lives. There is always the potential for sensory overload. Brantley's cities, however, are oases of calm and, as the title of the exhibit suggests, tranquility. The streets are wide and open and only occasionally punctuated by human figures. The skies are large and seemingly endless. Overall, one can't help but relax while browsing through "Tranquility."

There is, however, another, more profound, layer to this relaxation. Brantley's cityscapes do not seek to replicate specific buildings or skylines. Instead, they are a generalized homage to mid-atlantic urban architecture. As you move through the exhibit and see buildings that all resemble each other, a sense of familiarity settles around you. Brantley's stylized buildings quickly become familiar old friends that help you settle into each individual painting and feel at ease. The environments of the paintings welcome you in and encourage you to sit back, relax, and maybe take in that exquisite sunset over there. You feel at home in these cities.

Indeed, it's almost jarring when you come across a near-impressionistic painting of a field teeming with wildflowers. Interestingly enough, said painting is entitle "my back yard," an appellation that seems to fly into the face of the rest of the exhibit. One can't help but wonder if the title of this idyllic scene should be spoken in an ironic tone. Such is the power of Brantley's work that he manages to pull in his viewers and completely reinvent their ideas about the city, tranquility, and the nature of peaceful spaces.

"Tranquility" is being exhibited in Beckler Family Member's Gallery at the DCCA. The Exhibition will run until October 24th, 2010.


"Panoramic View" is a series of posts dedicated to stepping back and looking at exhibits at the DCCA in their entirety.