Past Shows / Events
2019
grown up baby time (9.7.19)
Grown Up Baby Time was a once-in-a-lifetime interactive art experience for all ages which involved coloring, 15 second game shows, food games, a giant thirsty baby, potions, neck photography, magic, a time capsule the size of the gallery, and much more. Audience members were treated to absurd skits and scenarios, care of Chad Hopper (mastermind) and the ensemble cast including: Andy Miller, Emily Summerfield, Kevin Pope, Amanda Jones, Michael Aaron, Chris Martino and Julia Bond. Behind the scenes help was provided by Jessica Nixon and Chris Skinner, and the time capsule "art-ifacts" were created by the audience members themselves.
"Hilarious, actually!" - Matt
"Hilarious, actually!" - Matt
Beyond language (7.27.19)
Beyond Language: new works from Chris Skinner
(digital prints, mixed media paintings, and 3 channel video)
The work that I'm doing now has a through-line of obfuscation. Like the limit-experience in critical theory as seen by Foucault & Bataille, the visual language is explosive and erratic from a continual critique of its own self-consciousness and existence. To further explain, the limit-experience could be seen as an event of extreme psychic weight that pushes a person towards madness or, oppositely, towards revelation. Seen by Foucault & Bataille, the limit-experience is that moment when comprehension and, by extension, language breaks down due to a recursive loop, a moebius strip, of understanding imminent within the subject. Language/thought breaks free from its moorings and turns toward itself pointing to its own limitations to communicate, even just within the subject, as in the situation of talking to one's self. This is a moment when the subject (ie. the audience) is faced with the prospect of obtaining some power over their own comprehension through transgressive experience.
Chris topped off the evening with a live performance, bringing the audience closer to the limitations of verbal language for the living body and mind.
(digital prints, mixed media paintings, and 3 channel video)
The work that I'm doing now has a through-line of obfuscation. Like the limit-experience in critical theory as seen by Foucault & Bataille, the visual language is explosive and erratic from a continual critique of its own self-consciousness and existence. To further explain, the limit-experience could be seen as an event of extreme psychic weight that pushes a person towards madness or, oppositely, towards revelation. Seen by Foucault & Bataille, the limit-experience is that moment when comprehension and, by extension, language breaks down due to a recursive loop, a moebius strip, of understanding imminent within the subject. Language/thought breaks free from its moorings and turns toward itself pointing to its own limitations to communicate, even just within the subject, as in the situation of talking to one's self. This is a moment when the subject (ie. the audience) is faced with the prospect of obtaining some power over their own comprehension through transgressive experience.
Chris topped off the evening with a live performance, bringing the audience closer to the limitations of verbal language for the living body and mind.
LINE TIME (6.29.19)
We put out an open call for artists to pick a date from the past, present, or future and to create a piece of art (any medium) connected to their chosen date. Nineteen participants submitted artwork (including two interactive pieces!) and a thread was strung around the room connecting all of the pieces in chronological order. Viewers could then take in the art and contemplate past, present and future... time traveling without the usual hassles.
The captions of the photos indicate which date(s) each artwork was referencing.
The captions of the photos indicate which date(s) each artwork was referencing.
WHAT REMAINS, RISE AND FALL (5.11.19)
Conceptual artist Jieun Beth presented her new works, a diptych of a flower bouquet interpreted in layers of gradual decay and a collection of nine lenticular prints showing the motion of change of the flower as viewers walk from left to right. Alongside those, a few works from her past series, "Always Saying Goodbye" and "Being" were on display.
This exhibit revolves around Jieun Beth's continued interest in the idea of Personal Identity; the influence of a body and the memory (mind) on one's perception, inquiring the effect of the Life's impermanence on one's psyche.
"Bloom and fade,
time passed away.
No movement stays the same,
only flows away.
End hasn't been tasted,
though flesh knows it's there.
Look away, no other way.
Mind ascends, body sheds,
What remains, rise and fall."
---------------------------------------------------------------
Artist Bio:
Jieun Beth (b. Texas) was born in the U.S. and lived in twelve different cities, diverse influences motivating her artistic direction. She graduated with her MFA in Studio Art at the University of Texas at Austin in 2013 and received her BFA in Painting at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2009. She explores the idea of Personal identity and examines the influence of the body, memory and transience of life on the understanding of one’s identity. She is the Exhibit Coordinator at the Austin Central Library.
In 2017, her works have been part of multiple group shows nationally and internationally, including New York City, Austin, and Bulgaria. Her collaborative public art project, "The Dwelling", was fulfilled by the City of Austin’s Culture Alive grant at the Elisabet Ney Museum in Austin, TX and the project was relocated to Colorado Spring, CO in 2018. Her Solo shows were exhibited at the Czong Institute of Contemporary Art in Seoul, South Korea, at the Big Medium in Austin, TX , and Midland Community College in Midland, TX in 2018. Her upcoming shows will be at the Collection Rert in Austin, TX and at the ARTIFACT gallery in New York, NY in 2020.
This exhibit revolves around Jieun Beth's continued interest in the idea of Personal Identity; the influence of a body and the memory (mind) on one's perception, inquiring the effect of the Life's impermanence on one's psyche.
"Bloom and fade,
time passed away.
No movement stays the same,
only flows away.
End hasn't been tasted,
though flesh knows it's there.
Look away, no other way.
Mind ascends, body sheds,
What remains, rise and fall."
---------------------------------------------------------------
Artist Bio:
Jieun Beth (b. Texas) was born in the U.S. and lived in twelve different cities, diverse influences motivating her artistic direction. She graduated with her MFA in Studio Art at the University of Texas at Austin in 2013 and received her BFA in Painting at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2009. She explores the idea of Personal identity and examines the influence of the body, memory and transience of life on the understanding of one’s identity. She is the Exhibit Coordinator at the Austin Central Library.
In 2017, her works have been part of multiple group shows nationally and internationally, including New York City, Austin, and Bulgaria. Her collaborative public art project, "The Dwelling", was fulfilled by the City of Austin’s Culture Alive grant at the Elisabet Ney Museum in Austin, TX and the project was relocated to Colorado Spring, CO in 2018. Her Solo shows were exhibited at the Czong Institute of Contemporary Art in Seoul, South Korea, at the Big Medium in Austin, TX , and Midland Community College in Midland, TX in 2018. Her upcoming shows will be at the Collection Rert in Austin, TX and at the ARTIFACT gallery in New York, NY in 2020.
STREET SEEN(3.30.19)
For STREET SEEN we gathered some favorite photos from photographer friends old and new. The roster included:
Gretchen's selections happened to have been in a larger body of work she did on "Messes", so her fantastic artist statement for those is included below...
MESSES by Gretchen Phillips
How do we respond when we see inside things splayed outside? For example: feelings that are supposed to be kept to ourselves, or perhaps mattresses on the street? How do we respond when we enter someone's home and it's a mess, messier than our own? Do we have judgments? Do we want to clean up this mess? Or do we want to escape quickly before we're asked to clean up this mess? What if it's a pile of stuff that's just been dumped in public, like, "Here, I've pulled this crap out from inside, now you deal with it. I simply can not deal anymore." When I see a mattress in the rain placed next to an insufficiently small waste bin, I think, "This is as far as they could interact with this unwanted thing."
A hot dog dropped and left on the floor of the Ikea elevator is somewhat amusing. Homes and hotels in former Yugoslavia bombed and ransacked and left to the elements as reminders that people can be so cruel to each other are not.
My father was a hoarder and my mother is a neat freak. Both of those compulsions live inside me. If I want to clean up my messes I need to take the time to actually sift thru their contents, feel the feelings that seeing the objects elicit, and discard what's no longer useful. Ideally I do this with another person present so that I needn't feel totally alone with what a hot mess I am.
Ultimately I find it comforting to see how messy and imperfect people are. It's like, You mean it's not just me?
- Gretchen Phillips
- Melissa Seely with Molly Richardson
- Brad Marcum
- Tomas Fierro
- Amarachi Ngwakwe
- Fernando Flores
- and Steve Landry
Gretchen's selections happened to have been in a larger body of work she did on "Messes", so her fantastic artist statement for those is included below...
MESSES by Gretchen Phillips
How do we respond when we see inside things splayed outside? For example: feelings that are supposed to be kept to ourselves, or perhaps mattresses on the street? How do we respond when we enter someone's home and it's a mess, messier than our own? Do we have judgments? Do we want to clean up this mess? Or do we want to escape quickly before we're asked to clean up this mess? What if it's a pile of stuff that's just been dumped in public, like, "Here, I've pulled this crap out from inside, now you deal with it. I simply can not deal anymore." When I see a mattress in the rain placed next to an insufficiently small waste bin, I think, "This is as far as they could interact with this unwanted thing."
A hot dog dropped and left on the floor of the Ikea elevator is somewhat amusing. Homes and hotels in former Yugoslavia bombed and ransacked and left to the elements as reminders that people can be so cruel to each other are not.
My father was a hoarder and my mother is a neat freak. Both of those compulsions live inside me. If I want to clean up my messes I need to take the time to actually sift thru their contents, feel the feelings that seeing the objects elicit, and discard what's no longer useful. Ideally I do this with another person present so that I needn't feel totally alone with what a hot mess I am.
Ultimately I find it comforting to see how messy and imperfect people are. It's like, You mean it's not just me?
TEARS AND LAUGHTER THEY KNOW ABOUT: PORTRAITS OF JUDY (3.2.19)
Multi-media artist and performer extraordinaire Silky Shoemaker chose to transform the space into an homage to one of her many idols, Judy Garland. Here is what she had to say about it:
"June is the 50th anniversary of Judy Garland's death. She was 47 at the time and gay lore has it that her death was the catalyst for the Stonewall Riots that erupted in the nights that followed. Whether or not her passing had an actual effect on those events is questionable, but it is interesting to consider her significance and symbolism as an enduring icon at the start of the gay liberation movement.
She once said "I try to bring the audience's own drama - tears and laughter they know about - to them." I think it was this unique ability to convey her own pathos and humanity, delight and devastation, which so resonated with queer audiences across decades. Her music as a body expresses profound longing for love, a desire to find oneself embraced and accepted, against a cold world. Her live performances were characteristically intimate and raw, a rockstar singing showtunes and ballads. In Judy, queer culture found an avatar who gave voice to their pain, but also their wildness.
Considering Judy, I think of the queer lore surrounding so many old Hollywood celebrities, the stories about them passed along in the outskirts of popular culture. These acts of mythologizing are often campy, frivolous, sometimes salacious, but they also serve as a serious way to make sense of a world that often alienates queer people. It is an essential action. It is a pathway of access to mainstream culture.
In this show I wanted to investigate "Judy", the icon and human, and to consider some of the queer lore that surrounds her legacy. The pieces shown here were all created in the past month (except for one) as an attempt to understand her, formally as a subject and culturally as a torchbearer. I also included some paintings of other Hollywood icons who have held a place in queer mythology and I’ve tried to interpret via my paintbrush some stories about them that persist in our oral history.
Working so intimately with this iconography has been a way for me to connect to my queer ancestry and to find a place within the flow of these never ending stories/histories.
I hope you enjoy!
-Silky Shoemaker"
Opening night featured an intimate candle-lit performance of Judy standards by J.C. King and Molly Fischer.
"June is the 50th anniversary of Judy Garland's death. She was 47 at the time and gay lore has it that her death was the catalyst for the Stonewall Riots that erupted in the nights that followed. Whether or not her passing had an actual effect on those events is questionable, but it is interesting to consider her significance and symbolism as an enduring icon at the start of the gay liberation movement.
She once said "I try to bring the audience's own drama - tears and laughter they know about - to them." I think it was this unique ability to convey her own pathos and humanity, delight and devastation, which so resonated with queer audiences across decades. Her music as a body expresses profound longing for love, a desire to find oneself embraced and accepted, against a cold world. Her live performances were characteristically intimate and raw, a rockstar singing showtunes and ballads. In Judy, queer culture found an avatar who gave voice to their pain, but also their wildness.
Considering Judy, I think of the queer lore surrounding so many old Hollywood celebrities, the stories about them passed along in the outskirts of popular culture. These acts of mythologizing are often campy, frivolous, sometimes salacious, but they also serve as a serious way to make sense of a world that often alienates queer people. It is an essential action. It is a pathway of access to mainstream culture.
In this show I wanted to investigate "Judy", the icon and human, and to consider some of the queer lore that surrounds her legacy. The pieces shown here were all created in the past month (except for one) as an attempt to understand her, formally as a subject and culturally as a torchbearer. I also included some paintings of other Hollywood icons who have held a place in queer mythology and I’ve tried to interpret via my paintbrush some stories about them that persist in our oral history.
Working so intimately with this iconography has been a way for me to connect to my queer ancestry and to find a place within the flow of these never ending stories/histories.
I hope you enjoy!
-Silky Shoemaker"
Opening night featured an intimate candle-lit performance of Judy standards by J.C. King and Molly Fischer.
DOUBLE DATE (2.9.19)
We presented an assignment with one rule to two previously unacquainted artist couples. The rule was: do whatever you want in our room!
The participating duos, Megan McAtee + Kaya Sumer and Liz Gomez + John Moloney, quickly found their areas of common interest, and the idea sparks flew. The resulting piece was a participatory sound installation inviting viewers to play and discover what sounds would emanate from the experimental assemblages.
Since the art medium made hiring a musician redundant, the quartet decided to spend the entertainment budget on a projection artist, Nils Hoover, who provided dazzling patterns and sound-reactive visuals for the installation (inside and outside) on opening night.
The participating duos, Megan McAtee + Kaya Sumer and Liz Gomez + John Moloney, quickly found their areas of common interest, and the idea sparks flew. The resulting piece was a participatory sound installation inviting viewers to play and discover what sounds would emanate from the experimental assemblages.
Since the art medium made hiring a musician redundant, the quartet decided to spend the entertainment budget on a projection artist, Nils Hoover, who provided dazzling patterns and sound-reactive visuals for the installation (inside and outside) on opening night.
2018
PAPER OR PLASTIC (12.1.18)
A self-guided time warp tour through the mind of Chaired!
Chaired = Chad Hopper a.k.a. Palfloat)
"My brain is full so I've decided to empty it into this room. This installation is an homage to all of the things from my youth that inspired me to become an artist...not only the magazines and toys, but also routine trips to the grocery store. In creating an amalgam of all my different bedrooms, I hope to share these inspirations and fill up other people's brains with an interactive experience."
The opening reception featured entertainment by the always-unique Andi Skeemax and the Slow Jams, preceded by a comedy set by Name Secrets.
Chaired = Chad Hopper a.k.a. Palfloat)
"My brain is full so I've decided to empty it into this room. This installation is an homage to all of the things from my youth that inspired me to become an artist...not only the magazines and toys, but also routine trips to the grocery store. In creating an amalgam of all my different bedrooms, I hope to share these inspirations and fill up other people's brains with an interactive experience."
The opening reception featured entertainment by the always-unique Andi Skeemax and the Slow Jams, preceded by a comedy set by Name Secrets.
WE WORK WITH WOOD (11.10.18)
This show celebrated wood and the art that can be made of it when power-tools and sandpaper are in the hands of women.
Participating artists:
April Garcia
Molly Strehl
Megan McAtee
Laura Sturtz
Abby Ruston
Amanda Jones
Jona Burkhalter
Lisa Hubley-King
Shanda Sansing
Terrie-Lynn Bach
& Raquel Bell
The reception featured music by Kenzie Slottow and friends.
Participating artists:
April Garcia
Molly Strehl
Megan McAtee
Laura Sturtz
Abby Ruston
Amanda Jones
Jona Burkhalter
Lisa Hubley-King
Shanda Sansing
Terrie-Lynn Bach
& Raquel Bell
The reception featured music by Kenzie Slottow and friends.
JONNY HYRNS (E.A.S.T. 2018)
https://thehyrnsman.tumblr.com/
"Jonny began art about 6 years back.
So it's abstract collage with a good dose of found stuffs.
Much has to be smashed flat.
Much is made whilst self-medicating.
Another part of the puzzle."
"Jonny began art about 6 years back.
So it's abstract collage with a good dose of found stuffs.
Much has to be smashed flat.
Much is made whilst self-medicating.
Another part of the puzzle."
IN THE DARK (10.27.18)
We asked artists to create something in complete darkness and then to conceal it from themselves for delivery to the gallery.
The creations were not seen by the artists until the day of the show!
Mysterious? Yes.
Difficult? Very.
But we know some very intrepid artists. The results were exciting and impressive, to say the least.
The creations were not seen by the artists until the day of the show!
Mysterious? Yes.
Difficult? Very.
But we know some very intrepid artists. The results were exciting and impressive, to say the least.
Second day of school (9.29.18)
For this open call show, Collection Rert compiled a list of classic school supplies and invited artists to explore and tap into that list with hopes of creating something (anything!) expressing some of their memories/emotions from elementary school.
TOOLS & MEDIA ALLOWED:
- crayons
- markers
- colored pencils
- watercolors
- ballpoint pens
- no. 2 pencils
- highlighters
- erasers
- correction fluid
- notebook paper
- construction paper
- index cards
- spiral notebook
- glue
- scissors
- compass/protractor
- ruler
P.S. Not everyone followed the rules. Such is life. ;-)
visible lllight & rrrabbit holes (8.11.18)
Multi-disciplinary and many-storied artist Viktor Scot, a.k.a. Vic3000, took a holistic approach to occupying the Collection Rert space. Eschewing a previously-planned more straightforward showing of artistic creations, he instead turned the room into a symbolic, 3-dimensional self-portrait. A rainy night and subdued energy matched perfectly the intimate experience given to visitors of a personal tour, counter-clockwise through the room's objects and their significance.
THE BILL AND LEAH SHOW! (7.28.18)
Another tag-team show of friends...
Bill Jeffery, local artist and musician extraordinaire, presents his latest drawings, a body of work entitled "Flip the Esoteric Dog". These particular illustrations, thickly patterned and surreal/psychedelic, were inspired by his memories of all the dogs he has loved and lost over the years, and the positive feelings they stir in him.
Sharing the gallery space will be Leah Smith of LLP https://www.instagram.com/leahland.productions/, with whimsical stop-motion animations and mixed media paintings. Cats, picnics, rare plants, and a manic quilt make up this "Strange Garden".
Opening night reception (7-10pm) will feature Bill Jeffery & Friends playing 3 new songs at 8pm!
Bill Jeffery, local artist and musician extraordinaire, presents his latest drawings, a body of work entitled "Flip the Esoteric Dog". These particular illustrations, thickly patterned and surreal/psychedelic, were inspired by his memories of all the dogs he has loved and lost over the years, and the positive feelings they stir in him.
Sharing the gallery space will be Leah Smith of LLP https://www.instagram.com/leahland.productions/, with whimsical stop-motion animations and mixed media paintings. Cats, picnics, rare plants, and a manic quilt make up this "Strange Garden".
Opening night reception (7-10pm) will feature Bill Jeffery & Friends playing 3 new songs at 8pm!
SMOKE WAS BLOWN. THE PHONE RANG. SOME PAINT WAS SPILLED. (6.23.18)
Painter/photographer/film-maker/musician Raphael Umscheid and multidisciplinary artist Eric Jordan are going to do something different this time. It's not defined at this point. Installation? Sort of. It's looking like some kind of hybrid.
The room, nature, and childhood memories will be calling the shots for Raphael, who may or may not be influenced by the voicemails of friends and strangers which he requested during the creation of many of the rooms works. These voicemails will be playing audibly in the room throughout creation and exhibition.
Eric's contributions were secretly mailed from his base in Portland, OR. Little works that have much in common with their shipping packages. Inventive and fun. Raphael just opened those tonight and was surprised.
Reception Saturday, June 23rd 7-10pm, with live music by Aaron Russell (solo guitar) and Gone To Earth.
The room, nature, and childhood memories will be calling the shots for Raphael, who may or may not be influenced by the voicemails of friends and strangers which he requested during the creation of many of the rooms works. These voicemails will be playing audibly in the room throughout creation and exhibition.
Eric's contributions were secretly mailed from his base in Portland, OR. Little works that have much in common with their shipping packages. Inventive and fun. Raphael just opened those tonight and was surprised.
Reception Saturday, June 23rd 7-10pm, with live music by Aaron Russell (solo guitar) and Gone To Earth.
THERE MUST BE MORE THAN THIS (5.19.18)
Collages by Mark Strelecky
"Do you ever feel trapped, or that the world lacks meaning?
Try having your world restricted to one square foot and having only two dimensions. That's what the characters who inhabit these collages are dealing with.
Come look at them with the the sense of irony that our creator must have when observing us."
"Do you ever feel trapped, or that the world lacks meaning?
Try having your world restricted to one square foot and having only two dimensions. That's what the characters who inhabit these collages are dealing with.
Come look at them with the the sense of irony that our creator must have when observing us."
WET BALL THE MUSICAL / INSTALLATION (4.29.18)
And The Winner Is Wet Ball the Musical, Hold On, Okay, We Think We Made Something We're Still Working it Out, We'll Be Ready When You Get Here ;-) Print On Banners
From the creators of QRSTV, PLAYVISION, and Something Something, Inc. comes another wacky romp through uncharted comedic territory.
This time you get a gallery installation full of mystery and clues in addition to a participatory variety show. Wowee!
Better save the date... It's a Sunday matinee, 2-5pm. Showtime will start at 2:30 pm sharp and run only 30 minutes, so be on time!
This time you get a gallery installation full of mystery and clues in addition to a participatory variety show. Wowee!
Better save the date... It's a Sunday matinee, 2-5pm. Showtime will start at 2:30 pm sharp and run only 30 minutes, so be on time!
OCTO PIECES (4.7.18)
The art in this show came about in not quite the usual way. Collaboration is the name of this game, and as a result, each piece has more than one author.
What happens when you cede creative control and ownership to a group you are also a part of? It's sometimes challenging, sometimes effortless. Artistic statements are made and erased, visual comments coalesce as if by magic, other pieces go through a dozen identities before finding their own special hum. Through this, the artists ride a tender balance between ego and surrender, between boldness and listening.
Participating in this experiment:
Bill Ivey
Wendy Rhode
Vincent Paul Martinez, Jr.
Yamin Li
G. Matt Nicholson
Leah Smith
Paul Baker
and Amanda Jones
What happens when you cede creative control and ownership to a group you are also a part of? It's sometimes challenging, sometimes effortless. Artistic statements are made and erased, visual comments coalesce as if by magic, other pieces go through a dozen identities before finding their own special hum. Through this, the artists ride a tender balance between ego and surrender, between boldness and listening.
Participating in this experiment:
Bill Ivey
Wendy Rhode
Vincent Paul Martinez, Jr.
Yamin Li
G. Matt Nicholson
Leah Smith
Paul Baker
and Amanda Jones
YOU CAN BE HERE (3.24.18)
"Scavengers and Tinkerers Unite!
Collection Rert invites you to rummage through our maze of fun junk and delve into your yard-art-creating fantasies...
Use that burst of energy you'll get when you score a new thingamajig and channel it into designing something unique for our yard or gallery.
Spontaneous and fresh like an emu at a fashion show, it's a fundraiser-yard sale-workshop with potential for laughter and making new memories."
Collection Rert invites you to rummage through our maze of fun junk and delve into your yard-art-creating fantasies...
Use that burst of energy you'll get when you score a new thingamajig and channel it into designing something unique for our yard or gallery.
Spontaneous and fresh like an emu at a fashion show, it's a fundraiser-yard sale-workshop with potential for laughter and making new memories."
MORTALITY IN PLAIN SIGHT (2.17.18)
The first CR show of 2018 was a mixed media installation by Jessica Nixon, presenting viewers with opportunities to reflect on the omnipresent specter of death and the ways in which we both honor and avoid the memories of those lost.
Noticing roadside memorials around the city, Jessica was inspired to recreate her own versions of and reactions to these touching, hand-made monuments and to present them in the intimate setting of Collection Rert for the community to engage with. The work included several meditative paintings, arrangements of artificial flowers, a recreated "Ghost Bike", and a symbolic memorial to loss that was open to audience participation and contribution.
The opening night featured an ambient soundtrack provided by Daze of Heaven and a live music set by Vile Wine (experimental guitar + electronics duo).
Read this review by Eggtooth.
Noticing roadside memorials around the city, Jessica was inspired to recreate her own versions of and reactions to these touching, hand-made monuments and to present them in the intimate setting of Collection Rert for the community to engage with. The work included several meditative paintings, arrangements of artificial flowers, a recreated "Ghost Bike", and a symbolic memorial to loss that was open to audience participation and contribution.
The opening night featured an ambient soundtrack provided by Daze of Heaven and a live music set by Vile Wine (experimental guitar + electronics duo).
Read this review by Eggtooth.
GLANDS OF FISTMITS (12.9.17)
For her first solo show, Bridgette Reed assembled an environment of perverse/cuddly whimsy and crude yet attractive catharsis. Characters from a rabbity alternate universe inhabited the room in the forms of modified mutant dolls and portraits in oil. The cave theme recurred as a preferred setting, with a one-guest-at-a-time cozy replica provided for introverted interaction with some of the characters, such as a tattooed doll, a snake with a woman's face, and a furry eye-less creature with an extra arm located where genitalia are normally found.
For fulfillment of feelings more extroverted, a tiny interactive volcano diorama was present, complete with the requisite chemical ingredients to induce fizzy overflow. Echoes of that messy purge could be seen in the artist's barfing self-portrait, as well as in the two expletive-laced portraits of a certain commander-in-chief, which were symbolically placed just outside of the entrance to the show, perhaps a cue for "It's time to visit another reality now!"
For fulfillment of feelings more extroverted, a tiny interactive volcano diorama was present, complete with the requisite chemical ingredients to induce fizzy overflow. Echoes of that messy purge could be seen in the artist's barfing self-portrait, as well as in the two expletive-laced portraits of a certain commander-in-chief, which were symbolically placed just outside of the entrance to the show, perhaps a cue for "It's time to visit another reality now!"
CELEBRATING LEFTOVERS (11.25.17)
A group show of affordable art for the holidays/end-of-year clearing, this was also our tenth show and did indeed have a celebratory feel. Fifteen artists were represented through 48 pieces in paint, photography, collage, drawing, crochet, ceramic, mixed media and interactive installation.
WATER BODIES (11.11.17)
Check out this review by Eggtooth!
We embody oceans within ourselves. It’s true! Get up, squeeze on a pair of shoes, and go find the edge of your waking consciousness. Gradually, you will reach softer, crumbly ground; your feet start to sink downward. You’re plodding through sand on a seashore lapped by water (memory). The sun-flecked surface of the ocean is light blue. But don’t go for a swim yet.
First, walk along the beach. Studded in the sand are shells. They look like ears but are molds of continuous movement, all kinds of forces—waves, wind, the endless need for protection, even the gravitational pull of the Moon. Glistening seaweed drapes the contours of ghost tides. Up ahead something undefinable takes shape as you draw near. Yuck, what is it? You’re unclear whether it’s inanimate or some beached creature. Though, you ought to know. It washed up from deep inside your mind.
Time to go for a swim. But you are not in the right shape: you need to become a mer-person. It sounds like a fantasy but this is your truer form. You can transform your lower half into a long tail covered in shimmering scales. That’s one way, but no need to be so stuck on somatatopy. You’ve forgotten you have neurons in your arms and fingers, smart tentacles that they are. Submerge into the water and plumb greater depths. The hue turns aquamarine, then blue blue, deep, dark, Persian, Egyptian, phthalo, Prussian, midnight, and on until only black. It’s terrifying and exciting to think what you will encounter.
Water Bodies presents recent oil paintings and animations by Sheila Scoville. Feminine, biomorphic, oceanic, mnemonic, these immersive pictures mimic the sensory overload of visiting the ocean. They also conjure a hallucination fed by creation myths and evolutionary science and poke fun at female personifications of the sea and things nautical. To accompany the paintings, Sheila’s husband and musical collaborator Aaron Russell provided a sound installation and performed a live set of original guitar-based compositions for the opening.
[Text by the artist.]
We embody oceans within ourselves. It’s true! Get up, squeeze on a pair of shoes, and go find the edge of your waking consciousness. Gradually, you will reach softer, crumbly ground; your feet start to sink downward. You’re plodding through sand on a seashore lapped by water (memory). The sun-flecked surface of the ocean is light blue. But don’t go for a swim yet.
First, walk along the beach. Studded in the sand are shells. They look like ears but are molds of continuous movement, all kinds of forces—waves, wind, the endless need for protection, even the gravitational pull of the Moon. Glistening seaweed drapes the contours of ghost tides. Up ahead something undefinable takes shape as you draw near. Yuck, what is it? You’re unclear whether it’s inanimate or some beached creature. Though, you ought to know. It washed up from deep inside your mind.
Time to go for a swim. But you are not in the right shape: you need to become a mer-person. It sounds like a fantasy but this is your truer form. You can transform your lower half into a long tail covered in shimmering scales. That’s one way, but no need to be so stuck on somatatopy. You’ve forgotten you have neurons in your arms and fingers, smart tentacles that they are. Submerge into the water and plumb greater depths. The hue turns aquamarine, then blue blue, deep, dark, Persian, Egyptian, phthalo, Prussian, midnight, and on until only black. It’s terrifying and exciting to think what you will encounter.
Water Bodies presents recent oil paintings and animations by Sheila Scoville. Feminine, biomorphic, oceanic, mnemonic, these immersive pictures mimic the sensory overload of visiting the ocean. They also conjure a hallucination fed by creation myths and evolutionary science and poke fun at female personifications of the sea and things nautical. To accompany the paintings, Sheila’s husband and musical collaborator Aaron Russell provided a sound installation and performed a live set of original guitar-based compositions for the opening.
[Text by the artist.]
OUI ART (10.21.17)
For the last five years, an ever-changing group of people have come together to make music under the name Ouiness.
Some members of the current incarnation also make visual art. The gallery show included visual art created by the band as a whole in addition to individual members.
At the opening event gallery-goers experienced a live performance by Ouiness, a performance piece (Power Point Presentation) by several members of Ouiness, and live add-on painting opportunities.
Jeff Dahlgren (Eggtooth) wrote a piece about his experience of the show, readable on his blog. Thanks, Jeff!
Some members of the current incarnation also make visual art. The gallery show included visual art created by the band as a whole in addition to individual members.
At the opening event gallery-goers experienced a live performance by Ouiness, a performance piece (Power Point Presentation) by several members of Ouiness, and live add-on painting opportunities.
Jeff Dahlgren (Eggtooth) wrote a piece about his experience of the show, readable on his blog. Thanks, Jeff!
STRATEGIC AMBIGUITY (9.23.17)
Fans of Kevin Pope usually associate him with one or more of his many musical projects around town. Not everyone is aware that when he's not rocking out or recording eerie soundtracks, he keeps busy drawing, collaging, exploiting Xerox machines, and photographing his TV.
As our good friend sneaks up on a round-number milestone, we seize this chance to take stock of and fully savor the unique flavors of his visual art side. Mysterious, untrustworthy and charming characters populate scenes in spaces unknown, like on the first page of a science fiction story you want to keep reading, while patterns undulate and hypnotize.
As our good friend sneaks up on a round-number milestone, we seize this chance to take stock of and fully savor the unique flavors of his visual art side. Mysterious, untrustworthy and charming characters populate scenes in spaces unknown, like on the first page of a science fiction story you want to keep reading, while patterns undulate and hypnotize.
SHOW US YOUR LEFT BRAIN (8.19.17)
What happens when you ask artists to try their hands at science? This open call show asks all curious minds to hark back to their high school or earlier days when everyone had to choose a subject and dedicate some unstructured free time pursuing the answer to some question by way of The Scientific Method.
Experimentation, research, and concept demonstration are key words this summer.
Experimentation, research, and concept demonstration are key words this summer.
IDENTITY PORTRAITS (7.29.17)
Art by Eggtooth
From the artist:
The future of art and music. It's both & More. We live in an age of extreme plurality. Digital natives & other thoughts about punk/avant garde come up through means of unsolvable eye candy puzzles. The pieces in this show are inspired by Andy Kaufman.
From the artist:
The future of art and music. It's both & More. We live in an age of extreme plurality. Digital natives & other thoughts about punk/avant garde come up through means of unsolvable eye candy puzzles. The pieces in this show are inspired by Andy Kaufman.
TINY FUEGO (7.1.17)
Art by Raquel Bell
Will you lose your center of gravity, or find yourself exploring new universes? Is that dune made of sand or flesh? Cozy up carefully to the tender warmth. Lean in / zone out to eavesdrop on the buzzing activity. The art of Raquel Bell (watercolor and ink on paper, plus a collection of tiny ceramic totems) has enough secrets for everyone.
Will you lose your center of gravity, or find yourself exploring new universes? Is that dune made of sand or flesh? Cozy up carefully to the tender warmth. Lean in / zone out to eavesdrop on the buzzing activity. The art of Raquel Bell (watercolor and ink on paper, plus a collection of tiny ceramic totems) has enough secrets for everyone.
1 MAN, 100 CUPS (6.17.17)
Art by Trevor Lewis Rieck.
From the artist:
The din created through tedium may only be transcended by expressions which thwart all known systematic traps within what one usually refers to as 'this reality.' Each cup represents the actions necessary to stave off the stolid cycles and enter the eye of the hurricane.
Absurd, lighthearted, dark, flippantly observant and sometimes offensive - without these cups serving as reminders and gateways the only reason to go to work would be to... work- we can't have that.
From the artist:
The din created through tedium may only be transcended by expressions which thwart all known systematic traps within what one usually refers to as 'this reality.' Each cup represents the actions necessary to stave off the stolid cycles and enter the eye of the hurricane.
Absurd, lighthearted, dark, flippantly observant and sometimes offensive - without these cups serving as reminders and gateways the only reason to go to work would be to... work- we can't have that.
FEMICULINE (5.27.17)
What makes a work of art feminine, masculine, androgynous, or none of the above?
Curated by Vincent Martinez, Jr. this show featured work by Sheila Scoville, Raphael Umscheid, Kevin Pope, Briar Bonifacio, Natalie Kleinecke, Wendy Rhode, Chad Hopper, Amanda Jones, Kevin Hauser, Erica Speegle, and Vincent Martinez, Jr.
Curated by Vincent Martinez, Jr. this show featured work by Sheila Scoville, Raphael Umscheid, Kevin Pope, Briar Bonifacio, Natalie Kleinecke, Wendy Rhode, Chad Hopper, Amanda Jones, Kevin Hauser, Erica Speegle, and Vincent Martinez, Jr.
NEW HISTORY (5.13.17)
Collection Rert's grand (re)opening
Twenty eight artists contributed, interpreting the idea of New History.
Twenty eight artists contributed, interpreting the idea of New History.
HOLIDAY KABOOM!!! (4.15.17)
-Preview of the gallery space
-Celebration of all holidays simultaneously + hybrid holidays
-Commemorating 20 years of Palfloat
-Crafting decorations and creating spontaneous installation art with friends
-Documentation of the fun by Anna Maul posted on event page!
-Celebration of all holidays simultaneously + hybrid holidays
-Commemorating 20 years of Palfloat
-Crafting decorations and creating spontaneous installation art with friends
-Documentation of the fun by Anna Maul posted on event page!
Day After Sights:
