Twin talents in singular theme

"The Baptism," mixed media on canvas, by Twin (Jerry and Terry Lynn) is among works at David Lusk Gallery.

"Twin: Jerry and Terry Lynn, Recent Works," which opens at David Lusk Gallery Friday night, is a revelation.

The artists -- 33-year-old identical twin brothers Jerry and Terry Lynn, who paint as one, intuitively working and reworking the same canvas -- have finely honed the details of their work, memory boards and dreamscapes of rural African-American life.

"The Baptism," mixed media on canvas, by Twin (Jerry and Terry Lynn) is among works at David Lusk Gallery.

Photo by Michael Donahue

Twins Jerry and Terry Lynn at a previous preview party for their art work at David Lusk Gallery.

For more than a decade, they've worked as Twin, cultivating scenes of cotton fields and church baptisms with a bristling intensity that's minus the Karo-thick sentimentality that, in lesser hands, often oozes into these scenes.

This exhibition, Twin's fourth show at Lusk, highlights the maturity in their work. Everything's come into a sharper focus. Colors are more vivid, and moods are captured via unmistakable gestures, postures, even just the slant of a hat.

"We've matured physically, spiritually, mentally, and hopefully, artistically," confirms Terry Lynn.

"We're constantly growing, getting stronger and stronger every day," adds Jerry.

"They're relying less on emotional marks and focusing on the whole," gallery owner David Lusk says of Twin's recent work. "Gone are many of the hip-hop notions -- the swirls, the pops, and the glitter of the last few shows. These new paintings are not so flamboyant."

Even so, the overall effect of "Faded," a simple white church surrounded by clouds of bright oil paint, is tremendous.

Similarly, the acrylic hues of "Field of Dreams" and "Replenish" burst off the canvas, dwarfing the figures in each piece. The sky threatens to swallow them up, or, in "By Their Hands," engulf a group of cotton pickers with whitewash.

"Daily Bread" and a diptych titled "Sow and Reap" are more understated. Here, you see the curve of a man's back, permanently altered by a lifetime of stooping over the crops, and, in sharp contrast, the thrown-back shoulders of youth.

While Jerry simply describes the work as "from the heart," Terry elaborates on the personal connections displayed on the canvases.

"It's memory, more than anything," he says. "We grew up in Arlington when it was all country. I can remember my grandparents talking about working in the cotton fields, so I have an appreciation for it."

With "Miriam" and "The Saints are Marching," Jerry and Terry reach a creative apex.

The former painting, a mottled acrylic work, spotlights an older woman in a white dress. Stretching behind her is a line of abstracted smaller selves, like an evolution sequence for this singular human being. From afar, you'll swear you can make out specific details, but when viewed close up, these lesser Miriams dissolve into meaningless blobs of paint, much as memories fade over time.

The latter, an oil painting, depicts a bucolic church that's framed in fog. The portal seems to be open for just a second, allowing viewers to glimpse the ghostly congregation lined up outside the church doors.

Thematically, it's related to both Thomas Cole's romantic landscapes and to the contemporary Resurrection, or Judgment Day, paintings that hang in many Southern churches.

"A lot of our work has underlying biblical themes," says Terry. "We grew up in a church environment, so a lot of times we'll paint something that reminds us of home, of our old church."

"Twin: Jerry and Terry Lynn, Recent Works"

At David Lusk Gallery, 4540 Poplar Ave., through Jan. 31.

Opening reception is 6-8 tonight.

For more information, call 767-3800 or go to DavidLuskGallery.com.

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