From October 14 – November 9 the Mesa Art exhibit is presenting “UNEARNED INTIMACIES” – an exhibit showcasing a collection of local artists using voyeurism and altered perspectives. Perspective is displayed in three very different ways, all presenting isolation against the viewer with photography, drawings and mixed media.

David Forbs, Michele Iversen and K.V. Tomney present compilations of their work from the past few years. Forbs is a San Diego design artist involved in many different projects ranging from furniture and fine art, including architecture design commissions. He was the head of the Studio Furniture Program at Mesa College as well as a lecturer at San Diego State.

Iversen teaches photography at Cal State Fullerton and Tomney is an SDSU graduate with already a few exhibitions under her belt.

Forbs likes to guide his viewer’s eyes by forcing them to notice details in colors, line space and volume on something that, at first glance, seems like a 3-D magic eye picture. The piece “A Study of Recurring Anxieties” is a perfect example of the skill involved in these designs.

By the time the observer reaches the fifth canvas titled “BLDNG#6 (alternative view)” it becomes obvious that these pieces are not paintings at all and that they are in fact constructed out of duct tape. The uncanny detail of multi-colored geometrical shapes as patterns on canvas is central to his art.

Half of this ‘duct tape’ series on display has an architectural quality of a dreamlike world. The tape is cut to exact measurements and placed next to each other, giving his pieces a three dimensional feeling. Forbs is also fond of creating what he calls photo-optical illusions of colors.

He uses the technique of color blending in this process of “forced illusion.” David defines color blending as “a third color. occur[ing] when two generally equal value hues of complimentary colors are placed next to one another.”

The theme of “intimacies” was based on Iversen’s large-scale photographs of people in the comforts of their homes. This series is the only one at the exhibit with human figures in their own environment. Completely unaware and framed from the outside looking inward, what these people do inside of their own homes isn’t as titillating as one would think given Iversen’s opportunity to take candid pictures.

Rather, the images are non-confrontational and say more about the artist herself than about the subjects displayed. The viewer’s interest originates from both sides of the lens.

Iversen admitted that part of her motivation comes from an “intense aesthetic/erotic friction” that occurs waiting for moments to reveal themselves. Where Iversen is interested in people’s candid actions, Tomney waits for people to leave.

Swimming pools and backyards are Tomney’s main interests. With a very rudimentary style and simple materials such as a ballpoint pen, lined paper and aluminum powder, Tomney strives to reveal a 1950’s sub-urban landscape.