Northwest creatures come to life in Gibbens' 'Birds and Bees'

When Barnett Newman said, "Esthetics to me is what ornithology is to the birds," it was his rebuke to critics (but it didn't stop him from writing very long and beautiful essays about his own work). Justin Gibbens, a recent recipient of the Pollock-Krasner Foundation award, has an esthetic that is expressed in avian; ornithology is only part of it, after all.

His solo show "Birds and Bees" follows Howard Barlow's excellent show "Riddled" and demonstrates why Punch Gallery is a force to be reckoned with on the alternative scene. Tapping his background in scientific illustration, Gibbens renders life-size portraits of insects and birds native to the Northwest with detailed flair. The artist mimics conventions of 18th- and 19th-century zoological illustrations and "Audubon's Birds of America" to explore natural history and the inevitabilities of life.

The title reflects the territorial and conjugal concerns that drive every species, while the work itself depicts struggles between animals for mates, food and dominance. The birds, singled out from their surroundings on mostly white backgrounds, are depicted with long shadows that extend beyond the paper and on to the walls. Without overplaying his hand, Gibbens lets these scenes become symbolic and fraught.

The work has a delicacy and conviction that belie any easy irony. This isn't kitsch; it's the daily struggle, the survival that we all wrestle over, thrown into high relief by the isolated scenarios.

"Birds & Bees" is at Punch Gallery, 119 Prefontaine Place S., 206-621-1945, punchgallery.org, through Feb. 25. Hours: Noon-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday.

-- Nate Lippens