Brian Bonney
Susan Woods
Beverly Powell
Patrick Hackleman
Kyle Ashbaugh
Matt Conklin
Mike Hill
Kris Askew
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10 in 10
Curated by Jen G. Plywell INTRO When Bruce from CEI Artworks asked me to “speed-curate” an art show - to choose 10 works in 10 minutes among the works of artists participating in the CEI program, I was honored and up for the challenge. I always rely on my gut when looking at artwork. In choosing the works, I not only had to use my instinct to pick individual works but stitch multiple works together into a cohesive show. Then I was asked to respond to each work individually. Bruce left it really open. “Write a poem, draw a picture. Anything.” At first, I wrote some pretty boring reflections on why I chose each piece. Then I decided to simply let the art “speak to me,” as it did when I first laid eyes on it. Here is what they said. Brian Bonney: First name, last name. Repeat. First name, last name. Repeat. Neatly. A grid. Slipping away and clinging together. One thing is certain: it’s Brian Bonney. We know it. He knows it. Susan Woods: We may be floating around in space, but something is holding us together. We may not be touching, but we are always attached. Tucked inside cozy nests, near and far. Electrical highways. Beverly Powell: A bound explosion. Wrapping around itself, binding to itself, choking itself, eating away at itself. Or giving itself a big hug? Patrick Hackleman: To be buoyant it must sit on something below the surface of the paper. What is below the art. It can’t just be the wall. It can’t. Portholes for tiny eyes look out. A big rig to steer, front or back? Kyle Ashbaugh: A game of protection. Not bare. Not unfolded. Withdrawn and drawn out. This is how armor works. Matt Conklin: What do we make of those little fish who swim along the big fish? They turn on a dime and shoot about like air tank darts. Big fish don’t slow down. Big fish only go down with a direct hit. Fire. Mike Hill: Break the surface. Energy. Then color. Then form. The first obstacle: space. Soon filled with energy, then color, then form. Show your bones. Kris Askew: Even Gregory L. Blackstock didn’t draw toilets. Why not? He never looked at them, memorized each unique curve, lid, make, seat, height, handle, color, model, tank, bowl. He couldn’t see what he couldn’t notice. He couldn’t see with his bum. Ruth Van Order: Conveyor belts, escalators, travelators, elevators. Bings and pings. Bounces and bumps. We all need to get there. At once. Good luck on getting out. Dale Leroy Scott: He walked walked off. Driverless. Stuck in paper traffic. Round wheels for rolling. Might as well be squares. Besides, there is just more paper inside. |
Ruth Van Order
