Exhibition Previews: Salt Lake City
Maurice
Clifford and Jonell Evans
Maurice Clifford's The Aleph
Visiting artist Maurice Clifford will demonstrate and perform his virtual
reality piece The Aleph in New Visions Gallery new exhibit space
at 47 East 400 South in Salt Lake City Thursday evening March 18 at 7PM.
Clifford,an
Atlanta based artist whose exhibitions of interactive installations have
appeared nationally and internationally, presents
an interactive installation of large scale animated projections of virtual
environments. The work's title refers to a story by Jorges Luis Borges where
the author defines the Aleph as "that point in space which contains all
points in space." The title informs the viewer of the artist's intention
to make a comment on parallel universes, time, and infinity. The images
are constructed with computer generated VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language)
and projected in a mirrored physical environment. This mirrored environment
creates for the viewer an interactive 180 degree view of a symmetrical
virtual world. Ambient audio combines to generate in the audience a unique
"visual music" experience.
Clifford was originally educated as
a painter at Yale, the Whitney Museum, and the Atlanta College of Art, and
has completed additional studies in computer imaging at the New York Institute
of Technology.
The exhibit will open March 17, 2004.
Clifford will give an artist talk and performance Thursday evening March
18 at7PM. A reception with light refreshments will be held Friday, March
19 from 6-9PM to coincide with the Salt Lake Gallery Association’s monthly
Gallery Stroll.
Gallery Hours in New Visions’ new
space at 47 East 400 South in Salt Lake will be Wednesday and Thursday 12PM
– 7PM, Friday 12PM – 9pm, and Saturday 5-9PM. The exhibit will remain on
view through April 10.
Body
Politics: An Artist's Journey in a Patriarchal Society
In its main gallery, Art Access presents Body Politics: An
Artist's Journey in a Patriarchal Society, featuring nine large oil
paintings by Salt Lake artist, Jonell Evans. This thought-provoking exhibition
chronicles a difficult journey of self-discovery.
Jonell Evans returned to painting in 2002, after a ten year hiatus.
After graduation from the University of Utah with a degree in painting,
at the age of forty, Evans went through several major life changes. She
divorced after 20 years of marriage, came out as a lesbian and had her
name taken off the books of the only church she had ever known. Evans started
a career at TURN Community Services supporting people with disabilities
and most importantly, discovered that she "is a strong, independent woman
who has something of value to say through painting."
Evans says, "As a girl, I did not see women in the roles I wanted
for myself. My role was determined the moment I was born. I was pronounced
a girl. I was to be the wife, the mother, the obedient handmaiden of the
patriarch whether it be family, church or society"
"My sons have asked me if I envision a return to a matriarchal
society. I am pragmatic. Let's achieve equality first: fifty
percent representation at all levels of religion, government, history
books, museums and the corporate world. A couple of years ago, I asked
myself what contribution I could make towards this reality. My answer is
to speak and paint my own truth."
The artist's
auto-biographical work will hang March 18 through April 13. The Artist¹s
Reception will be held Friday, March 19, from 6 to 9 PM, during the Salt
Lake Gallery Association¹s monthly Gallery Stroll.
Art Access Gallery
is located at 339 West Pierpont Avenue in Salt Lake City. Regular gallery
hours are M F, 10 AM to 5 PM
Read an article on the exhibit in this week's City Weekly.
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Opinion Piece
Should Artists
Sell Their Art?
by Don O. Thorpe
What a foolish question. Of course,
artists have to sell their works in order to make a living – you know,
pay the bills, feed the family, and have some fun in life. However, marketing
a product, be it art or automobiles, can have a major influence on how
you perceive the product and yourself. A potential customer’s opinion
may influence the artist. For instance, would you change your design,
content or attitude to please a customer if it meant making a sale or
making more money?
A very popular American artist, who will go un-named, has, in my
opinion, designed his paintings with the masses’ mediocre taste in mind
– and he has done very well . . . financially, because all of his paintings
have the same comfortable glow to them. Most of the artists I have talked
to about this popular artist feel the same as I do – they are disgusted.
I remember one of my University art professors saying, “The minute you
conceive an artistic image with the purpose of selling it, you have compromised
your talent.” Ouch!
What is the difference then between that kind of artist and a
“true” artist? Or are any of us true artists? For that matter, what
is true art? Is art for art’s sake the ultimate in creative expression?
These are questions that should concern every artist.
By its very nature, visual art must be seen. Going a step further,
being seen, a piece of visual art communicates something to the viewer.
If we bury a piece of art in a hole in the ground so that it is never
seen, some of its value is lost. Or is it? The piece hasn’t changed because
it isn’t seen. However, think of the grace of Michelangelo’s "David" or
the turbulent "Starry Night" by Van Gogh. These works have had a profound
effect on all of us. What would have been the loss to all of us if they
had been hidden away and never seen?
Should there be a difference between creating a piece of art that
is conceived only to express unique and private emotions without other
viewers in mind, and a piece that is created to communicate the artist’s
feelings to others? The artist must look into his deepest motivations
to answer to that question. The best criteria for artistic creation
should not be what will sell, but what the artist feels – whether it communicates
or not.
However, the very nature of art almost demands that someone other
than the artist experience it. What kind of influence the potential customer
or viewer (listener) has on the artist’s creation is crucial to the test
of an artist’s integrity, and even, perhaps, talent.
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Information for the news nibbles section
can be sent to:
artistsofutah
@netzero.net
The deadline for the next issue is April 25th.
Extended information on many of these announcements can be
found at the
AoU Forum
.
--The Utah Arts Alliance and Mainly Art Gallery are teaming up to expand
into a second location and start arts education classes and other programs.
The Mainly Art Gallery in Crossroads Mall currently has about fifty
artists in the co-op gallery. The Gallery has been doing so well that a
second location is needed to house and sell artworks from local artists.
The second location is over 5,000 sq ft. The Utah Arts Alliance (UAA)
will be operating this new gallery. The UAA will also host art classes at
the new space. The Mainly Art Gallery is an artist co-op gallery. Artists
pay a small amount each month to get a sizeable space in the gallery where
they can display and sell their artwork. Artists pay only $50.00 per month.
If you are interested in taking your art to the next level, return your application
today. The call for artists deadline is April 5th. For additional information
contact the UAA at utahartsalliance@yahoo.com 801-651-3937 utaharts.org
sabilities or those who are underserved.
-- The Utah Humanities Council seeks
to fill a full time professional position in outreach, grants administration,
and program development.
The Program Officer will work with Utah’s
institutions of higher education, cultural organizations (libraries, historical
societies, museums, civic groups, arts and humanities councils, senior centers,
etc.), teachers, community leaders, and the public to provide information
about UHC’s resources and services, to offer technical assistance to grant
applicants, to promote partnerships and collaboration between UHC and other
organizations, to identify and recruit program scholars, and to increase
public awareness of UHC programs and activities throughout the state.
UHC values collegiality, versatility, and flexibility in the workplace.
Applicants must enjoy working as a team member with a small staff, interns,
and a volunteer board.
--Chicago had its cows, Park City its
"moose on the loose", and the Olympics its buffalos. Salt Lake will now have
its own "seagullfest". Seagullfest will start in June and last until fall.
Downtown will come alive with decorated seagulls created in media as different
as mosaics, metal, wood, glass, ceramics, and painted fiberglass; flying
and roosting throughout the district. The seagulls plan to be involved in
the "Days of 47" festivities and 4th of July events.
Local artists of every genre are invited to participate
upon approval in our first ever SEAGULLFEST event, by submitting an artfully
created or decorated seagull, for display in the downtown SLC area through
the summer of 2004 and public auction in the early fall. Artists will receive
50% of the sale. The other 50% will go to various artistic sponsorships,
scholarships, assists, grants, public art projects, seagullfest, and so forth
in support of the arts and artists.
Artists may create their own seagull
in a medium of their choice, or choose from one or more of two standard fiberglass
castings: standing, or full flight. All creations should be tastefully done
as an example of the best that their medium has to offer, and be in a size
range from that of a real seagull size or larger. More than one seagull
per art piece is acceptable.
Sponsors may have a seagull art piece placed prominently
at their place of business. Maps of seagull roostings and flights will guide
visitors around the city.
Preliminary submissions must be in the office of Mainly
Art by midnight, March 15th -- contact the office as the deadline
may have been extended . Once approved for creation, all entries must be completed
for display no later than midnight of June 1st Completed works may be dropped
off any time. For details and forms, e-mail Renee Shaw at , drop by Mainly
Art at 50 So. Main (Crossroads Mall), or call Renee at 364-5220.
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