 The Audience Tug Rice watercolor and ink, 8.5" x 11"; SOLD Exhibited at Village West in the Under the Influence show, Fall 2016 |
 Laughing Audience William Hogarth Inspiration piece for Tug Rice for the Under the Influence show, Fall 2016 |
"Hogarth's Laughing Audience depicts a group of
spectators at a performance of a London play in 1735. The figures represent varying degrees of
interest; some are clearly infatuated with the play, others are infatuated with each another.
It's a fascinating and humorous glimpse into the way people of Hogarth's era viewed live
entertainment.
My work also depicts an audience, but it's a contemporary one. The figures are less bawdy,
seemingly more engaged with the performance. But is that necessarily a good thing? Audiences have
certainly changed since Hogarth was alive. Is the current era of the "polite audience" a symbol
of refined evolution or are we missing the point of live theatre: to wake up the spectators and
include them in the fun?"
If you are interested in seeing more work, please contact Tug Rice or visit www.tugrice.com.