The Labyrinth
I find myself a bit ambitious when it comes to the summer break. I think of all the projects I want to get done whether it be on the house, my art, my physical self......it doesn't take much to put together a substantial list. Most recently, I participated in a group exhibition that was in conjunction with the Bemis Center's Creativity Festival. It was the first time Bemis put together such an event and I think for the most part it was successful. There were lots of things going on from visual exhibitions (Midwest Voices and Visions, The Nest Egg), panel discussions/presentations topped off with DJ parties. I created a work that was part of a group exhibit called The Labyrinth. The curator of the exhibit, playright Susann Suprenant, invited some artists to create individual pieces that were to be installed at different stations of the labyrinth. Participants walking the labyrinth would be lead to each station and encouraged to interact with whatever was there in some way. An important aspect of the pieces were that each artist was given a word from which their piece would be inspired from. I was one of the last artists to get their word so mine ended up being 'loss'. My solution was to create a panel with cartoon-like flowers stuck to it. Participants were invited to remove the flowers via a sign stating 'Take Some'. Once removed, the negative space behind the flower was revealed. Overall, I think it worked pretty well. I did something like this similar while in graduate school. I like how the piece started to evolve with some of the flowers gone.
I often thought most artist go through a plant phase of some sort. I definitely am in one now. It must be do to all the flowers and plants in and around my house.
