Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The Wells "Spaced Out" Art Show-a Smashing Success

The best Wells show I have attended yet-interactive art-non threatening-thought provoking- and fun!










Derek Caulfield and Jessica Pizana used approximately 48 pounds of lard and an unknown quantity of used motor oil to create Hog.  Many dots of this material represent a map of the United States-viewers were invited to squish the dots-and they did-it was kind of like squeezing pimples-ewww.







 The Tip of Grace is an installation created by Lindsay McDonald.  Using tar and feathers she makes a statement about the state of grace and the fall from it- sculpted hands covered in tar reach out around the space to suspend the feathers on thin wires that precariously hold them above the floor.








Separated Skin installation by Danielle Williams was created with 52 umbrellas that become a shelter or a shrine that shields from a inhospitable world.








Yevette Mantone's installation-Interplay incorporates weaving with light to make wings that fly when the light is swung by the participant.










Construction vs Destruction was installed by John Andrews and Jennifer Garcia who invited participants to take these fragile luminous bowls and smash them with abandon.  As I was experiencing another installation down the hall I could hear people howling with laughter while breaking these lovely creations...but that was the point. There was no danger-the bowls were all made of sugar. 







Organic Takeover installed by Coby Reynolds, Aaron Madrid, and Manal-Bou-Lipp is an urbanization of space. Shrine and shelter comes to mind again.  Music, lighting, and a human being elicit an emotional response.













 
You could struggle, crawl, or swim through Shred Skin-Clothing Abyss installation by Elizabeth Hernandez and Steven Jensen is not recommended for the truly claustrophobic. Shredded clothing, wall to wall causing disorientation.  It is very dark when you first enter the installation which enhances the claustrophobic  experience, but as you make your way around the room there is more light and the material thins out a bit-but this could all be in my head...
most of the images demanded a flash-this is probably how I actually made it out.


The Merry Makers

Despite the disguise I believe this guy is partly responsible here.










The poetry that played in the background was certainly nonsensical- but it was also a hypnotic chant-Michael Flynn Moffatt-creator of the Kurt Schwitters Shrine almost received a donation from me-but I couldn't figure out how to get it in that donation box.



I would like to congratulate the NMSU Sculpture students for a very successful show!

I will be looking forward to seeing their work in the future.
This was the finest Wells show I have been to so far-it will be a challenge to top.



Update on the Figure Drawing Opportunity



The Figure Drawing Workshop will now be taking place on Friday evenings.  If you have a busy social schedule-don't worry it starts at 6PM and lasts until 8PM, so there is still plenty of time to express the party animal that is you!  There are fliers floating around the Art Depatnement with the address on them-remember to bring five dollars  to contribute to the model.