An Unobstructed Mind: The art of Helmut Barnett
Helmut Barnett: Solo Show The first thing that you notice about Helmut Barnett’s paintings is their sheer scale and transparency of color. No photo or published replication can quite prepare you for the detailed intensity of his large pieces. They are the presence in the room, an extension of a highly complex mind that sees and feels a multi-faceted connection with life. Settling in to understand these pieces, one realizes they are not only deeply personal to Helmut but also deeply about Helmut himself. They are a reflection of a distinctly sharp and orderly intellect with an appreciation and sensibility for the deep insight that mathematics, history, engineering, music and poetry affords. In some pieces, you see a wonderfully colored splash of art on top of a collage of old worn pages from books in bygone times. The placement of any given photomontage is so meticulously arranged that Helmut has managed to make the viewer think that perhaps the soft beige and