civilized ku # 932 ~ on with the show
Sunday, April 24, 2011 at 10:36AM 
Artist Statement picture • click to embiggenThere was a nice turnout for the ART convey/transport/reflect opening reception on Friday night. It was a very different crowd than the last opening - more art-types, less "locals"-type - which is most likely attributable to the fact that the pictures were not of "local" color.
That said, the pictures generated a lot of interest and comment. The audience was quite captivated by the visual complexity and ambiguity evidenced in the pictures. The crowd seemed to like the fact that the pictures required a fair amount of viewer effort and discernment - much more than just a casual look - in order to understand what they were seeing.
At first glance, what many viewers thought they were seeing - especially those who did not read my Artist Statement prior to viewing the pictures - was either double exposure pictures or "photoshop-ed" pictures. Those observers, upon learning that the pictures were un-manipulated, single exposure, straight out of the camera pictures, returned to re-view and review the pictures from an entirely new perspective.
The gallery goers were also very engaged and fascinated by the reflections created by the glazing. The reflections changed as the gallery light changed from daylight-dominated to gallery-lights dominated. Many suggested that the change in the reflections created an installation art aspect to the exhibit.
In addition to the warm and genuinely appreciative reception engendered by the pictures, the announcement, re: The Forks Portrait Project - 4-6 month project with the objective of picturing every resident (approx. 800 people) of Au Sable Forks and the surrounding area (I'll be delighted to get 200-300), was received with great excitement and enthusiasm. I even secured a project sponsor who will underwrite the cost of getting the word out - a picture postcard in every local mailbox.
BTW, as mentioned, a sizable portion of the opening crowd was not in attendance at the THE FORKS there's no place like home opening. However, many of them were very interested in the book which accompanied that exhibit, so much so that I sold 4 of those books.
FYI, the picture with this entry is part and parcel of my exhibit Artist Statement which reads:
All good art attempts to convey a point of view about the world as seen by the artist. As a result of that endeavor, good art has the potential to transport its viewers into a realm of new revelations, discoveries, and insights. In doing so, good art allows its viewers the opportunity to reflect upon the world and their place in / relationship to it.
As should be evident from the referent in all of the pictures - pictures of artwork - the exhibit is Art about Art. The intent was to make pictures of art in gallery windows utilizing the reflections in those windows to suggest a link between art and the real world. By their semi-transparent and somewhat masking nature, the reflections create a rather ethereal and ill-defined visual impression which obfuscates any distinct connection or easily defined relationship between the art and the world outside of the gallery, leaving it to the viewer to decide /discern what it is they are seeing, both literally and figuratively.
In any event and despite my disdain for exhibiting pictures under glazing, because reflections are an important part of these pictures, I have decided to present the pictures under glass in order to introduce another layer of reflections. In this case, the added reflections will be of the viewers as they look at the pictures. I want them to see themselves in the pictures in order to reinforce the intrinsic connection between and participatory relationship of the artist, the art, and the viewers of that art.
All in all, the exhibit was a big hit. This gallery thing is turning out to be quite a bit of fun and, lest I forget in the warm afterglow of the opening reception, a lot of hard work.
Reader Comments (1)
I really admire the originality of this approach. The human eye/brain naturally separates these reflections, but your keen observations has revealed wonderful thought provoking images. The idea of adding yet another layer of reflection in the gallery is icing on the cake.