Sculpted heroes & fragmented visions: A Sunday at the Fresno Art Museum
By Heather Parish
On a recent free admission Sunday at the Fresno Art Museum (FAM), I took the opportunity to explore its spring exhibitions, though time constraints meant I could only absorb half of their new presentations—much to my frustration.
Instead, I focused on two artists, immersing myself in the vibrant sculptures of Tony Natsoulas: Artist Heroes and the thought-provoking acrylic paintings of “Michael Azgour: Image as Mythology.” Both exhibits offered strikingly different yet equally compelling interpretations of artistic homage and visual storytelling. In April, I plan to return to see the work of Michael F Rohde as well as the “Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African American Art.”
Tony Natsoulas: Artist Heroes
Curated by Michele Ellis Pracy
Fresno Art Museum | Through June 29, 2025
An unexpected delight, “Artist Heroes” is a vibrant, larger-than-life tribute to 20th-century pop culture icons. Tony Natsoulas’ sculptures infuse the FAM Contemporary Gallery space with a vibrant array of colors, bringing the exuberant personalities of Josephine Baker, Annie Lennox, Eddie Izzard, Carmen Miranda, Rosalind Russell, and Carlos Santana to life. More than simple portraits, these sculptures are layered with playful “Easter eggs” and knowing winks to the artists’ cultural impact, making the exhibit a joy to explore. Cheeky, cheerful, and unapologetically fun, this show is a pick-me-up for anyone who loves the intersection of art, performance, and pop history.
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Pixels
Michael Azgour: Image as Mythology
Curated by Sarah Vargas
Lobby Gallery, Fresno Art Museum | Through June 29, 2025
Pixels is a dual show featuring Michael Azgour and Michael J Rohde.
Azgour’s work in Pixels reimagines iconic images through a fragmented, pixelated lens, challenging how we perceive and interpret familiar visuals. His “Homage to Botticelli’s Birth of Venus” distorts the Renaissance masterpiece, stripping away its polish and replacing it with an impressionistic shorthand. Large, blocky pixels flatten the composition, breaking down the fine details while amplifying movement—Venus’s flowing hair and billowing fabrics seem more dynamic, shifting focus from classical beauty to raw, human expression. In this reinterpretation, mythology feels more fluid, less like a frozen relic and more like a living story open to reexamination.
Azgour’s “Portrait of Frida Kahlo” takes a different approach, initially appearing crisp and photographic from a distance. Up close, however, the illusion unravels—clear edges give way to layers of underpainting and messy brushstrokes that disrupt the image’s smoothness. The contrast between precision and imperfection forces the viewer to fill in the gaps, questioning the reliability of their perception.
The most intriguing piece, “Spring 2024,” plays on ambiguity. At first, it appears to be a photo of three girls playing soccer, but a closer look reveals something more unsettling. With no visible ball and black spatter strategically placed on the canvas, the scene hints at something darker, an action frozen in time that invites multiple interpretations. Like reading a poem in visual form, Azgour’s work encourages viewers to engage beyond the surface, filling in the blanks with their imagination.
The Fresno Art Museum is open Thursdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adult admission is $10, but the first and third Sundays of the month are free, thanks to support from Measure P, through June 2025.
The Munro Review has no paywall but is financially supported by readers who believe in its non-profit mission of bringing professional arts journalism to the central San Joaquin Valley. You can help by signing up for a monthly recurring paid membership or make a one-time donation of as little as $3. All memberships and donations are tax-deductible. The Munro Review is funded in part by the City of Fresno Measure P Expanded Access to Arts and Culture Fund administered by the Fresno Arts Council.
