An Experiment in Collectivity
February 28 - April 1, 2012
University Galleries has invited six artists to realize An Experiment in Collectivity through their formation of a temporary collective. Informed by 20th century movements such as Dada, Situationist International, Surrealism, and Fluxus, collaborative approaches to art making during the past decade have received much critical attention.
For this artist-directed exhibition, Daniel Bainbridge (New York, New York), Jennifer Gustavson (Brooklyn, New York), Melanie Hunter (Bloomington, Illinois), Tim Kowalczyk (Minonk, Illinois), Colin Nesbit (San Diego, California), and Beatrix Reinhardt (Astoria, New York) will make work in response to the space of University Galleries, acting as both producers and collaborators. Each artist must negotiate working method, content, and flow of space within parameters set by the group. The project embraces unpredictability and explores how an inter-artist dialogue—rather than curator-artist dialogue—manifests itself, and whether it may facilitate a new approach to exhibition-making.
For the past several months, the artists have interacted virtually through Skype and a private group blog, fostering the conversations critical to the project's development. Through email correspondence, they developed a promotional image that draws on the Surrealist exercise, “exquisite corpse,” and features segments of each artist’s work placed in response to the others’.
The exhibition's installation will demonstrate not only the artists’ varied practices but will also highlight possible relationships between art and the institution in which it is exhibited. Artistic processes range from installations using books borrowed from ISU's Milner Library; to figurative sculptures incorporating trash collected on site; to trompe l’oeil ceramic works referencing the specific packing materials the artists are using to ship their work to Normal; to installations of photography. University Galleries will function as a site of engagement during the installation of the exhibition. The doors of the gallery will remain open while the artists are working, encouraging visitors to observe the artists’ processes and to interact with them.
All six artists graduated from Illinois State University's School of Art. Daniel Bainbridge (MFA, 2006); Jennifer Gustavson (BFA, 2005); Melanie Hunter (MFA, 1993); Tim Kowalczyk (MFA, 2011); Colin Nesbit (BFA, 2003); and Beatrix Reinhardt (MFA, 2001).
This exhibition co-sponsored by the Theatre of Ted Alumni Guest Program.
Installation View Wall (Left to Right):
Colin Tuis Nesbit
I’m not made for love
Video, Colorine, lighting, wood
2012
Daniel Bainbridge
Mouth Breather
Mixed media
2012
Jennifer Gustavson
You Would
Carved pencil, carving foam, backing of picture frame, and wooden supports
2012
Floor (Left to Right):
Tim Kowalczyk
Not Much Left
Dark stonewares with washes and underfired glaze
2012
Tim Kowalczyk
Reverberations
Dark stonewares with washes, porcelain paper clay
2012
Melanie Hunter
Untitled
Glass, rust, tin can
2012
Jennifer Gustavson
A Genuine Apology
Cast resin 6-pack ring, kitchen table, black resin cast silk flower, University Galleries moving blanket, 4 1”x 8” pine planks, altered end table, painted cast resin coke bottle, losing lottery tickets, Judd bumper sticker, receiver with cord, extension cord, shipping box of plaster, my high school physics book, painted cast resin balloon in wire glass box, plastic face mold and speaker, voicemails from my mother, painted carved wooden lightbulb inside plexiglass box, postcard in clear plastic box, deflated white balloon in clear plastic box, various deflated balloons in glass jar, Michael Jordan basketball card in acrylic card holder, Nirvana poster, white flag in clear plastic box, and cast resin SORRY! piece
2012
Installation View Wall (Left to RIght):
Colin Tuis Nesbit
I’m not made for love
Video, Colorine, lighting, wood
2012
Jennifer Gustavson
You Would
Carved pencil, carving foam, backing of picture frame, and wooden supports
2012
Floor (Left to RIght):
Tim Kowalczyk
Not Much Left
Dark stonewares with washes and underfired glaze
2012
Tim Kowalczyk
Reverberations
Dark stonewares with washes, porcelain paper clay
2012
Installation View Wall (Left to Right):
Colin Tuis Nesbit
I’m not made for love
Video, Colorine, lighting, wood
2012
Installation View Wall (Left to RIght):
Wall:
Jennifer Gustavson
Towards Peter
Studio mice, powdered charcoal on paper, and the direction of Peter
2012
Melanie Hunter
Small Cacophonies (#2)
Fiberglass, wire, black iron oxide, rust, glass
2012
Floor (Left to RIght):
Jennifer Gustavson
A Genuine Apology
Cast resin 6-pack ring, kitchen table, black resin cast silk flower, University Galleries moving blanket, 4 1”x 8” pine planks, altered end table, painted cast resin coke bottle, losing lottery tickets, Judd bumper sticker, receiver with cord, extension cord, shipping box of plaster, my high school physics book, painted cast resin balloon in wire glass box, plastic face mold and speaker, voicemails from my mother, painted carved wooden lightbulb inside plexiglass box, postcard in clear plastic box, deflated white balloon in clear plastic box, various deflated balloons in glass jar, Michael Jordan basketball card in acrylic card holder, Nirvana poster, white flag in clear plastic box, and cast resin SORRY! piece
2012
Daniel Bainbridge
Mouth Breather
Mixed media
2012
Daniel Bainbridge
KKKundalini
Mixed media
2012
Daniel Bainbridge
Queen Bee With Second Chakra
Mixed media
2012
Installation View Wall (Left to Right):
Melanie Hunter
Small Cacophonies (#2)
Fiberglass, wire, black iron oxide, rust, glass
2012
Installation View Wall (Left to Right):
Jennifer Gustavson
You Would
Carved pencil, carving foam, backing of picture frame, and wooden supports
2012
Jennifer Gustavson
Towards Peter
Studio mice, powdered charcoal on paper, and the direction of Peter
2012
Floor (Left to Right):
Melanie Hunter
Untitled
Glass, rust, tin can
2012
Tim Kowalczyk
Reverberations
Dark stonewares with washes, porcelain paper clay
2012
Jennifer Gustavson
A Genuine Apology
Cast resin 6-pack ring, kitchen table, black resin cast silk flower, University Galleries moving blanket, 4 1”x 8” pine planks, altered end table, painted cast resin coke bottle, losing lottery tickets, Judd bumper sticker, receiver with cord, extension cord, shipping box of plaster, my high school physics book, painted cast resin balloon in wire glass box, plastic face mold and speaker, voicemails from my mother, painted carved wooden lightbulb inside plexiglass box, postcard in clear plastic box, deflated white balloon in clear plastic box, various deflated balloons in glass jar, Michael Jordan basketball card in acrylic card holder, Nirvana poster, white flag in clear plastic box, and cast resin SORRY! piece
2012
Installation View Wall (Left to Right):
Melanie Hunter
Small Cacophonies (#2)
Fiberglass, wire, black iron oxide, rust, glass
2012
Daniel Bainbridge
Mouth Breather
Mixed media
Tim Kowalczyk
Slow Collapse
Stonewares, underglazes, glazes, glass
2012
Tim Kowalczyk
Bearing
Dark stoneware paper clay with underglazes and wash
2012
Tim Kowalczyk
Instant Delusions of Mechanical Reproduction
Porcelain, glaze
2012
Floor (Left to Right):
Tim Kowalczyk
Not Much Left
Dark stonewares with washes and underfired glaze
2012
Jennifer Gustavson
Domestic Landscape
(Built into Tower)
12 carved Coors Light bottles
2012
Daniel Bainbridge
KKKundalini
Mixed media
2012
Daniel Bainbridge
Queen Bee With Second Chakra
Mixed media
2012
Installation View Wall(Left to Right):
Tim Kowalczyk
Slow Collapse
Stonewares, underglazes, glazes, glass
2012
Floor (Left to Right):
Daniel Bainbridge
KKKundalini
Mixed media
2012
Installation View Tim Kowalczyk
Slow Collapse
Stonewares, underglazes, glazes, glass
2012
Gallery 1: An Experiment in Collectivity Floor (Left to Right):
Jennifer Gustavson
Domestic Landscape
(Built into Tower)
12 carved Coors Light bottles
2012
Studio Pests
(Built into Tower(
Found dead pests in resin
2011-ongoing
Tower
Various containers, 2 Ikea footstools, black and white photograph purchased at posters.com in handmade frame, retail clothing rack, altered Ikea desk, altered magazine, studio pests, handmade oak desk, aged plaster cast of the inside of a drawer, oak pedestal painted white, insulation foam, carving wooden drawer, landscape, vase with aged pride flag inside, used to-go coffee cup (a pleasure to serve you) in clear plastic box, plastic cup with floral foam, and strap wood.
2012
Installation View Floor (Left to Right):
Jennifer Gustavson
White Arranged by White
135 Library Books
2009
Installation View Wall (Left to Right):
Jennifer Gustavson
Towards Peter
Studio mice, powdered charcoal on paper, and the direction of Peter
2012
Melanie Hunter
Small Cacophonies (#2)
Fiberglass, wire, black iron oxide, rust, glass
2012
Installation View Wall (Left to Right):
Tim Kowalczyk
Instant Delusions of Mechanical Reproduction
Porcelain, glaze
2012
Beatrix Reinhardt
The Battlefields
Digital c prints
2011/2012
Installation View Wall (Left to Right):
Colin Tuis Nesbit
I’m not made for love
Video, Colorine, lighting, wood
2012
Floor (Left to Right):
Daniel Bainbridge
Kundalini Awakening
Mixed media
2012
Installation View Wall (Left to Right):
Colin Tuis Nesbit
I’m not made for love
Video, Colorine, lighting, wood
2012
Floor (Left to Right):
Daniel Bainbridge
Kundalini Awakening
Mixed media
2012
Installation View Wall (Left to Right):
Colin Tuis Nesbit
I’m not made for love
Video, Colorine, lighting, wood
2012
Floor (Left to Right):
Daniel Bainbridge
Kundalini Awakening
Mixed media
2012
Installation View Wall (Left to Right):
Beatrix Reinhardt
The GDR Children of Namibia
C prints on plates
2012
Installation View Wall (Left to Right):
Beatrix Reinhardt
The GDR Children of Namibia
C prints on plates
2012
Installation View Wall (Left to Right):
Jennifer Gustavson
Towards Peter
Studio mice, powdered charcoal on paper, and the direction of Peter
2012
Beatrix Reinhardt
550km Die Druschba Trasse - A Friendship Pipeline
Digital c prints
2008/2009
Installation View Wall (Left to right):
Tim Kowalczyk
Branded
Dark stoneware paper clay with underglazes and glazes
2012
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