THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 27, 1996 TAG: 9606270025
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TERESA ANNAS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 71 lines
MICHAEL SHERBERT gave a little piece of his soul to an organization to auction off. The Portsmouth artist gave a painting he made 10 years ago, when he found out his little brother had contracted AIDS.
His painting, titled ``Elegia,'' will be among 75 or so artworks offered for bid on Friday for the sixth annual art auction to benefit Tidewater AIDS Crisis Taskforce.
``Elegia'' had been ``a real direct outlet for that grief,'' Sherbert said.
He typically works from film stills, reinterpreting them as the focal point in his paintings. The central image in ``Elegia'' came from a close-up of a dead Romeo from a 1950s Italian film version of ``Romeo and Juliet,'' he said.
As he painted the Romeo, ``I tried to make it my own. In making it my own, it became my brother. And it is. It's a dead ringer.
``It almost worked on a subconscious level. I knew the painting was about my brother. But I didn't know it was going to look so much like my brother until the end.''
The word ``Elegia,'' which appears in the painting, means a prayer or song for the dead.
Here's the clincher: A decade later, brother Brad, now 38, is alive and kicking in San Francisco.
In 1986, ``I thought for sure this was his kiss of death,'' Sherbert remembers. Earlier, Brad had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, too. He became a political activist and a devout Buddhist, and availed himself of resources in San Francisco.
Living with AIDS ``forced him to focus on his life, and his destiny,'' Sherbert said.
On Tuesday night, a small crowd of artists and TACT supporters gathered at Central Fidelity Bank at Norfolk's World Trade Center, where the 75 or so works were displayed at an auction preview.
The art remains on view today from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
At the reception, prizes were given for the top works in several categories, with Norfolk painter Bob Sites winning best in show. Norfolk art historian and writer Carol Rand was the juror.
Norfolk sculptor Laurel Quarberg, who won first place in sculpture, stood near her conceptual piece called ``Respect,'' which embodies themes of balance and interdependence.
``Artists have certainly been hit hard by AIDS,'' she said. ``So, artists are sensitive to wanting to support the AIDS community.''
AIDS has found its way into the art itself, added Everett Leo Swinson of Norfolk, whose art has reflected his struggle with AIDS since he was first diagnosed HIV-positive in March 1989. Eighteen months ago, his condition progressed to AIDS.
Swinson donated an oil pastel drawing titled ``Give Up, You Fool, Give Up.'' Flanking the drawing, and part of the elaborate frame, are two papier-mache figures symbolizing determination and anger.
``I refuse to be sick,'' said Swinson, who is feeling well these days.
Though his financial resources have diminished, he still wanted to contribute to the auction.
``Once, when I was really sick, TACT paid my rent. They've helped me fill out forms on disability. They hooked me up with a support group,'' said Swinson. They even helped find funds to fix a broken tooth.
Swinson is on the side of survival - both for TACT and himself. ``It can be done,'' he said, firmly. ``And I'm going to join that club.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Peninsula Fine Arts Center
Michael Sherbert painted ``Elegia'' when he found out that his
brother had AIDS.
Photo
``Respect,'' a conceptual piece by Laurel Quarberg, won first place
in sculpture. by CNB