When viewing Anthony Gassaway’s “Mother’s Voice” it is hard not to be reminded of Picasso’s unnamed work resting in Daley Plaza. Born on Chicago’s South Side, it is not unlikely that this iconic piece inspired the aspiring artist in Gassaway.

Contending this comparison is the candor with which “Mother’s Voice” reveals itself. Gassaway’s work is earnest. The artist does nothing to disguise the female face in his construction, or obscure his intentions with the title. Gassaway says “Mother’s Voice” is an “exploration of dreams, ideas of self-worth, love, desire and family.” The result is a face: imaginative, contorted, yet still recognizable. Gassaway’s ability to portray his topic with such clarity is a reflection of and compliment to his capacity to bare life’s important questions with similar sincerity.

YEARS EXHIBITED: 2011