Curating an exhibition at Creativity Explored is all about that sense of discovery. Anyone who has shopped the bursting portfolios in the CE studio knows the wondrous moment when you find a piece of art that speaks to you.
Guest curators Sophie Appel and Cole Solinger of Delaplane experienced this magical moment when they came across a unique body of work by former artist Walter Kresnik that shared compositional elements with other artists’ work. Tucked away in our collection was a series created by Kresnik inspired by music. In 2015, former Executive Director Amy Taub curated Forte, an exhibition of artwork that used sheet music as a visual reference. As with many experimental practices in the studio, lots of artists participated in the exercise, Kresnik included.
Following the discovery of Kresnik’s musical drawings, the duo also found a unique instrument created by teaching artist Victor Cartegena. The percussive instrument was created from a cymbal on a stand with extra arms donning bells, chimes, springs, and other noise-making objects. Cartagena and artists play the instrument during Thursday music hour – a joyful and chaotic studio jam session.
Suddenly, for Appel and Solinger, all the pieces fell into place. The duo scoured the collections for art that evoked song and rhythm, looking for artwork to accompany Kresnik’s delicate drawings.
“Like a flower has its petals, in creating this show we are making a composition of other compositions, vignettes of imagery we feel embody the thematic experience we both felt upon first seeing the work of Walter Kresnik and friends.”
A series of sculptures by Claus Groeger employ the use of electrical wiring, metal tools, screws, and fountain pen tips. The sculptures bring to mind the electronic gadgets, loopers, and adapters used by sound producers and guitarists. The repetition of forms and objects imply an instrumentality all their own.
Two oil pastel drawings by Yolanda Ramirez juxtapose an image of classic ballerina slippers with an abstract drawing of overlapping black starbursts. The viewer can almost imagine the sounds of feet slapping the ground in step each burst.
An arrangement of eclectic sculptures by Elena Cooper, Michael Bernard Loggins, Andrew Wong, Ricardo Estella add a whimsical tone to the orchestra of artworks on display in the gallery. A double-sided ceramic cow figure by Estella, wooden floral silhouettes by Cooper, and the ceramic words “JUNE” and “JULY” by Wong set the scene for Kresnik’s symphony.
A landline phone with messages written in marker by Michael Bernard Loggins exclaims random phrases: “Life is Real”, “Life if Cool”, “Don’t Play with Fire,” “Seasons Greetings,” “Hot Fun in the Summer Time,” and “Please Enjoy This Art.”
The curators state, “The human energy felt in the works selected for Song is hard to deny, not simply because they were made by humans, but because they employ the senses in a unique way; like a melody stuck in your head, or living by mimesis.”
Join us at the Creativity Explored gallery to experience this nuanced and lyrical exhibition showcasing the work of Walter Kresnik accompanied by a chorus of Creativity Explored artists.
