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Arts I Entertal ment

THE DETROIT NEWS

Berke's Law

Artist Allen Berke captures the spirit of Detroit.

SHARON GITTLEMAN
Special to the Jewish News

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ewish artist Allen Berke has
always been an independent
spirit.
While other artists follow
the latest trends, Berke helps create
them by staying true to his own per-
sonal vision.
"Good artists have to pursue their
own sense of direction," said Berke, a
resident of Madison Heights. "You've
got to do it for yourself. If you're true
to yourself, people will see it."
Berke's philosophy has served him
well. His oil paintings have been
shown in prestigious exhibits through-
out the world, including the Osaka
Art Museum in Japan, the Arco
International in Madrid, Spain and
the Third International Olympia
Exhibit in London, England.
Berke, a 1966 graduate of Oak Park
High School who earned his bachelor's
and master's degrees in art from
Wayne State University, has the dis-
tinction of having his work displayed
in 11 shows in one month in New
York City.

His paintings have also been fea-
tured in more than 100 exhibitions in
galleries, museums and universities in
and around Manhattan.
Berke's paintings are currently the
subject of a one-man show at Detroit's
Cass Cafe. Diana May, co-curator of
the cafe, selected 26 of Berke's works
for the exhibit, called Scapes.
"He's an artist's artist," said May. "I
run into other artists, people well
known in the art scene and they are all
familiar with his work. He's a quiet
guy who puts his head down and
works."
May and co-curator Robin
Summers, also an artist, selected land-
scapes, figurative works and paintings
of the Detroit skyline for Berke's show.
"He works like crazy. There are
paintings leaning against every wall in
his living room," she said. "In his
paintings, the figures have a flowing
organic form and his cityscapes are
almost the reverse. They are very
imposing.
"He has a subtle social commentary
in many of his paintings. It doesn't hit
you over the head. You look at it and
think, What's that about?"'