Every art exhibition, if for different reasons, is an important event.  Group presentations because they show us where each participating artist stands in relation to their peers, solo shows because they extol the featured artist's competence or exhibit experiments that may indicate a new phase in their art.  Retroactive exhibitions are important as they display the developmental process of an artist's style or aesthetic and historical exhibitions that put out works from past genres, styles or artists are important because they inform us about the history of art.

Gotham Times Ten is an exhibition of importance but not for any of the above mentioned reasons.  It is important because it tells us that we have finally reached a level of confidence in our own contemporary art history to celebrate it.  This is a congratulatory exhibition that lacks self-indulgence. There are two other good reasons for visiting this well curated exhibition; to view some excellent works of art and to purchase the accompanying catalogue.  The former will delight, the latter will inform and become a valuable resource.

Eighty-one artists have been connected with Gotham Studios since its inception.  The stylistic variety that emerges from the collective is well represented by the thirty-seven past and present artists involved in this exhibition.  The work ranges from evocations of metaphysical concepts to realistic renditions of urban scenes.  This is best encapsulated in the West End Gallery.  Here six images make statements on art by emphasizing mark making, texture, shape, pattern and colour while four works compose these ingredients into pictorial statements on life.

I do enjoy the way the exhibits in Studio 3 work together to promote contemplation on the great mysteries of birth, life, death and the spiritual.  Mary Knott's installation Abundance offers a delicate cane and paper cornucopia spilling forth ceramic pods of new life while The Sorting by Jan Hart involves intricately formed bronze ants industriously going about the daily tasks of maintaining their environment.  Andrew Daly hints at mortality with his beautifully meticulous Skull and Vase and the rich surface and subject of Fish and Brushes by Richard Gunning takes on a religious reference.

In Studio 2 exhibits by Caspar Fairhall, Richie Kuhaupt, Lucille Martin and Jon Tarry open up a dialogue on topics of perspective and point of view within the intellectual and physical  realms of art and life, illusion and reality.  A highly satisfying presentation.

Perhaps I'm being unfair to mention individual works as each exhibit contributes to the excellence of the exhibition as a whole.  Do see this important exhibition and be a part of the celebration of our vibrant art history in the making.