by Leisa Rich
Annual Guest Curated Exhibition | October 23 to November 10, 2024
When I was first invited to curate an exhibition for the Propeller Art Gallery, a myriad of esoteric and intriguing ideas came to me that I felt would certainly excite applicants with cleverness and intellectually stimulating directions. However, my mind kept returning to why I create in the particular way I do – I define myself as an Experimentalist, as I am fearless in exploring new materials and techniques – and how a lot of artists I know feel fear when it comes to branching out to try new things, especially if they have found that often elusive, and certainly seductive, commercial success. I wanted to compel artists to put behind the safety of the known, by challenging them with an intervention. What have we got to lose?
In addition to providing participants with an overview of what I was seeking in submissions, I also listed prompts that were easy to follow to guide them to venture beyond familiar territory to create work they had never previously conceived. Creative transformation is the essence of the exhibition Experimental Intervention.
The show was a challenge to curate. There was not a singular idea nor a central theme to make it easier to choose works and create a cohesive exhibition. Not looking for pat, extremely well-executed submissions I was, instead, seeking reassurance that the artists understood what I was asking them to do: make and submit pieces that were exploratory in materials, technique, or concept. The artists I chose for the show use normal materials such as glass, clay, fibre, metal, found objects, paper, plastic, wood and canvas. They also employ unusual materials such as dog hair, a kitchen faucet, safety pins, food colouring, a handmade musical instrument and algae. Techniques such as stitching, bending, sewing, charring, assembling, pinning and laser engraving morph these simple things into unusual forms. Their willingness to risk failure and embrace the learning curve of novel approaches transforms the resulting works into acts of bold self-expression. The journey of exploratory personal growth these artists have undertaken is as significant as the final artwork themselves, resulting in pieces that inspire deeper meaning and have more emotional impact. The unconventional choices made are not for mere aesthetic appreciation but are intended to foster a dialogue that transcends medium-specific art and enhances viewer engagement.
Throughout history, certain artists have embodied this spirit of experimentation, significantly influencing the art world and the general population. Marcel Duchamp’s ready-mades challenged traditional notions of art by presenting everyday objects as art. Jackson Pollock’s drip paintings revolutionized the application of paint and introduced a new form of expressionism; fast forward in the years since, and this technique has been the most copied, by the general population and artists! Damien Hirst and his formaldehyde-preserved animals, Ai Weiwei’s socio-political provocations, and Tara Donovan’s extraordinary installations use materials unconventional to art and continue to push boundaries.
Ray Vincent & Susan Halle, Sonic Seascape
One of the artworks I chose for Experimental Intervention was Sonic Seascape by artist couple Ray Vincent and Su Halle. Ray, a luthier by profession, uses the nautilus shell in his fine, handcrafted mandolins and ukuleles. This was his first foray into creating a non-functional sculpture. His partner Su Halle, a painter and wearable artist, embellished it with hand painting that evokes waterfalls. This cross-disciplinary piece redefines the instruments into art objects. These artists stretched themselves to conceive of a creative direction new to them, in form and application of material, as well as technique. That they did so reminds me of well-known U.S. artist Bisa Butler, who reinvents the medium of quilting traditionally associated with folk art in vibrant, life-sized portraits of African Americans. She elevates the fine craft practice of quilting to a form of fine art. These artists are taking the usual and fine craft-based and elevating them to art.
Karin Shaddick, Safety Pin Dress | Noriko Yamamoto, Ladder from a Fairytale
Karin Shaddick’s transformation of safety pins and pot scrubbers into a sculptural dress elevates mundane materials to a status that signifies preciousness, and Noriko Yamamoto’s use of safety pins in Ladder From A Fairytale evokes imagery of the human spine, a winding path, or a mystical ladder. Safety pins have a long history as a functional necessity and non-functional social reference. Homer’s Odyssey includes the passage, “Odysseus wore a woollen purple cloak, a two-fold one, and in it was a pin of gold” and many moons later Johnny Rotten of The Sex Pistols wore a shirt held together with safety pins – the lowly pin the ubiquitous symbol of the punk movement – in the video “God Save the Queen.” Both works offer viewers a layered, metaphorical experience. I compare their works to how world-renowned fashion designer Iris Van Herpen – who is more sculptor and radical futurist artist than designer – might have first approached typical materials and experimented with turning them into something magical.
Frances Patella, House & Burnt Wood | Patricia Bond, Lightning Rod | Lorna Livey, Crimson Tide | Kay Gregg, church and state
The exhibition also includes Frances Patella’s and Patricia Bond’s use of wood in their homey constructions, House & Burnt Wood and Lightning Rod, respectively. These pieces bring forward a narrative of resilience and transformation through the medium of charred remnants. Lorna Livey’s Crimson Tide, resembling coral formations that invoke the mysteries of an underwater world, utilizes the materials of medical tubing and food colouring, and twists the concept to speak to environmental disaster. Kay Gregg’s Church and State cleverly transforms a plastic half-mannequin into a medieval, steam-punk suit of armor challenging perceptions of what everyday objects should be used for. This could be compared to the creative direction of Canadian/U.S.-based installation artist Jennifer Angus, who transforms rooms into immersive environments using thousands of preserved insects, arranged in intricate patterns. Her work not only challenges the medium of natural history specimens but also questions the traditional boundaries of interior decoration and fine art. These artists share the ability to turn the expected into the unexpected.
Lukas Mouka, Lovers
Sometimes, an artist submits a work that is so evocative of famous works, that one can only be intrigued to delve into his particular interpretation. It is so with Lukas Mouka’s Lovers, in which I saw vestiges of the influence of Dali and Bosch. In thinking about his work, the amazing artist Kara Walker, recognized for her powerful Sugar Baby sculptural monument, and her silhouettes that tackle themes and modern social issues of race, gender, and violence via the antique medium of cut-paper silhouettes, came to mind. Neither collage nor silhouette is anything new, but in the hands of these artists’ creative experimentation, they exemplify the power of experimentation in producing thought-provoking art.
Deepikah RB, Poorna: Simulations of the whole
The installation Poorna: Simulations of the Whole by Deepikah RB reflects on humanity’s complex relationship with technology and nature, inspired by the story of a failed attempt to reverse global warming through algae-based solutions. The installation features suspended spirulina-filled vessels, symbolizing scientists’ ambitious yet flawed efforts to re-oxygenate the atmosphere. Other noteworthy works in the exhibition involve lit forms, video, painting, printmaking, metal relief, laser cutting and more. Each piece is a testament to the artists’ intellectual rigor and creativity, making the exhibition both intellectually stimulating and accessible to a broad audience.
Experimental Intervention stands as a celebration of artistic bravery and innovation. By inspiring artists to experiment boldly with new materials, techniques, and concepts, the exhibition cultivates an atmosphere of radical artistic growth. It challenges viewers to engage with the art on display on an unexpectedly profound level, redefining their perception of what art could and should be. The works serve not only as the narrative of exploratory personal growth but also as a call to re-evaluate the limitless possibilities within the realm of art.
