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You Would
December 10, 2011 - January 31, 2012
Opening Reception Thursday December 15, 2011 6-8 pm
Vikki Alexander, Richard Artschwager, Wendell Castle, John Filker, Mel Kendrick, Robert Helm, Holly Laws, Joe Latitia, Jim Napierala, Nick Poe, Richard Rezac, Cordy Ryman, Gwen Smith, Ray Smith, Rob Wynne
As a medium, wood has been used extensively throughout art history, and has deep roots woven in the realm of furniture, architecture, sculpture, and collage. Unlike many other mediums, wood lends itself to image appropriation providing a uniquely patterned surface as opposed to a blank slate, which fundamentally alters the work regardless of its purpose in the overall aesthetic. Therefore, it is not surprising that many of the artists in this show exploit this quality of wood, whether as a framing tool, as the background pattern, or even as the unseen panel for a painting.
Wood as a material can be manipulated or can remain pure and untouched: natural in its beauty, exposing in its intimacy. The artists featured in this show deal with the materiality of wood in a variety of ways and yet still manage to preserve the quality of the wood and the handcrafted quality of their works. The purpose of this exhibition is to explore the phenomenon of contemporary artists using wood in a manner unprecedented in art history.