Hoard Couture #26 |
WOW!! Okay, I’m done.
That should suffice to be a blog about a couple of shows I viewed last night.
Before I elaborate on them however, I want to say how much I
have missed so many of you. Being out of the loop for so long made me realize
just how much my “art” friends mean to me, even if we are not the buddy up to
the bar type of buddies. Now that life may have settled down…………………..
Sorry, I was off finding a big piece of wood to knock on…
perhaps I can find the time to see what you all have been up to. Judging by the
offerings at First Friday, evidently you all have been very busy.
First up is the First Stop at the CMA. Judi Longacre did it
again by putting together a group of local favorites that offered push pin
pieces at hard to beat prices. I hope
people were thinking ahead to Christmas (after all is past Labor Day and the
wrapping paper is starting to appear in the stores!).
Not to be missed is the packaged traveling show
“Environmental Impact” in the main galleries of the CMA. A limited engagement
through Oct 31st is worth the time to view the art and read the
statements or stories that go along with them. Think the underbelly of National
Geographic. Sad to realize that such beauty can be found in such tragic
situations. Often we read or hear about the affects of pollution,
overpopulation, and urban sprawl, but to “see” the impact through an artist’s
eye offers a perspective that goes beyond mental. The shame of what we are
doing to our planet becomes visceral. Using the trash itself to make art as in
the polar bear sculptures right inside the door, is pure artistic irony. Hey
world, you give us garbage and we will make something positive from it whether
you like it or not. My overall thought
was that I am tired of this, which I meant in the sense that rubber tires seem
to be everywhere in this show. Our very own rhino in the arts district should
be added to this exhibition and sent packing for awhile so others can see what
can be done with such castoffs.
We stopped by Saxton Gallery and Journey Art Gallery. The JAG team was meet’n and greet’n a
constant flow of people once one gets past the arterial clog of 4th
and Cleveland N. Their location on the
bright and open corner of 4th and Cleveland S is ideal for
showcasing the variety of pieces offered. Less local and more regionally
oriented, it will be a good resource for those who do not venture out of the
area to collect.
Do not miss the current show at Translations, Ludlow Prep
1929, a collaboration between Craig Joseph and Clair Murray Adams. The Ticket
did a good job explaining the premise so I will not elaborate on the how this
installation was created or the why it was done. WHAT was done is far more
worth my limited space. I would not be surprised to find that the gallery is
haunted during the month of September. All those mementoes hidden inside the
desks must surely contain a spirit or two. Claire did a spectacular job making
visual what Craig illustrated through words.
One must be willing to take the time to read and become a voyeur of sorts
to the lives behind some long forgotten faces in a discarded old school photo. In a way, the premise is a bit creepy because
we like to think of ourselves as being respectful of the “dead”. Poor Craig had
to keep telling people it was okay to sit in the desk chairs and become one
with the soul whose name was on the back. It is when one pulls out the seat and
realizes a sepia toned photo of the real person is still sitting there, that an
uncomfortable feeling takes hold. Granted, the names and places have been
changed (or in this case made up) to create a narrative of lives lived,
entwined and immortalized. A copy of the
text for each desk is available should one not want to try and read the ones on
the desks themselves, which for those who forgot their readers, may be
necessary. I asked for a copy to be emailed to me so I can take my time later
and enjoy the stories.
Inside each desk are the bits and pieces of someone’s life
who once sat in that chair as envisoned by Claire. Such a display makes one think
about what we are leaving behind, which dovetailed right back to the show at
the CMA and to thoughts of my own Hoard Couture project. Looking at baby shoes,
faded photos and costume jewelry is moving in a way that one does not want to
really confront. I applaud Claire’s
attention to detail and her method of weaving together a personality inside a
box. Finding melted candles lets one know that she did not just plop the stuff
inside the desk, she had to assemble it with intent, which is her signature style.
Our own habitual behaviors happen on top
of the desks. Every person held on to the glass sculpture on top of one of the
desks before lifting the lid. Yes, it was glued to the surface, but we
instinctively take hold so it won’t fall off. Do we automatically make
assumptions about people the same way?
The teacher’s desk is a delight to explore unto itself
because of the subtle humor found in its contents. Any former or current
teacher will relate. How simple times
were back then, or so we thought. Cute little girls with chopped off hair in
their frilly white dresses or bored looking boys in britches and bow ties…the
game of life was never so much fun.
Approach this show as if Stephen King, Alfred Hitchcock and
Louise Nevelson decided to have a threesome. If you happen to hear the theme of the
Twilight Zone playing somewhere in the background of your brain, all the better,
but don’t be one bit surprised to find that a chair or two may just scoot out
on its own accord as the occupant unseen decides to cut class.
Welcome back. It was wonderful to see you and Michael at the new gallery last night. You've been missed.
ReplyDelete