Thursday August 18 marked the opening of Louisville Visual
Art Association’s (LVAA) latest exhibition, In the Course of Human Events
9/11-2011, a show featuring work in
response to the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, ten years
ago. Curated by Aron Conaway, the exhibition features work by 30 different
artists in a variety of mediums including glass, video, installation and
photography.
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| Daniel Pfalzgraf "Mohamed Over Elsa" |
I’ll start with a few overall positive notes about the
exhibit. Firstly, I was pleased to see a mix of emerging artists such as
McKinley Moore and Balthus Priest exhibited alongside more established artists
like C.J. Pressma and Al Gorman.
Secondly, it was refreshing to see work outside of the box from your
traditional gallery show.
Conceptual installations, interactive pieces and striking videos brought
a new sense of life to the space.
Thirdly, I appreciated the conceptual and calming work of artists like
Vian Sora and Suzi Zimmerer that helped balance the overtly political pieces.
Both are necessary to the success of a show like this one, but the former are
not always appreciated and accepted.
Talking with Aron Conaway, I learned that much of the work
was created specifically for this exhibit. Conaway did include a few pieces from the 2002 9/11
Exhibition at the LVAA and a few pieces created prior to that including work by
Bill Carner (1983) and Artuoro Sandoval (1990). Each piece in the show is accompanied by a statement from
the artist, adding a nice personal touch that provides more depth and meaning
for the viewer.
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| Mason Maxy "Don't Drink the Kool-Aid" |
Walking into the gallery, I was immediately drawn to the
corn hole installation by Emil Walton. Featuring images of Osama Bin Laden and
the American flag, the brightly colored corn hole platforms stood in the middle
of the room, accompanied by bomb-shaped beanbags. The game was set up for
visitors to play and became quite an amusement during the opening
reception.
“My current work was created to celebrate the patriotic
passion Americans share amongst each other and the world. That same passion
that the rest of the world envies or doesn’t fully understand can be
provocative towards outsiders yet will bring our country together in times of
need.”-Emil Walton
Being a sculptor and installation artist myself I found the
installation by Sharon Scott quite a remarkable piece. The work consists of a classroom desk
accompanied by a backpack full of school supplies and a bottle of water. A
helium balloon with American flag décor is tied to the back of the chair. A
small recording device invites the visitor to contribute a recorded message
while wearing a blindfold. It’s unassuming, yet sends a powerful message to the
viewer.
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| Mel Chin "9-11, 9-11, Film Adapted from his Graphic Novel" |
Falling along the same lines is the work by Dan
Pfalzgraf. On close inspection, you’ll
see that motor oil is listed as a medium.
This subtlety lends strength to his work. Incorporating the oil with
paint and other materials, Dan creates striking portraits that evoke strong
emotions. I pondered each piece, trying to delve into the thoughts of the
downcast face staring back at me.
Walking the exhibition you’ll notice four separate
televisions. On first glance I thought that four video installations was too
much. After closer examination, I found that each piece differed greatly from the
other and provided a unique perspective to the exhibition. I enjoyed most the
film by Mel Chinn based on his graphic novella. The film shows the correlation
between the 9/11 attacks and the attacks in Chile, 17 years prior to the World
Trade Center. Hallie Jones’ work
also stood out among the crowd with its original concept and striking audio.
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| Emil Walton "Nothing Spells Freedom Like Cornhole and War" |
Last but not least, another piece that distinguished itself
to me was Mason Maxey’s Don’t Drink the Kool-Aid. This little piece is
hung in the back gallery and will only be seen if you turn the corner as you
enter the room. Although small,
its whimsy and cleverness give it a large impact. I don’t want to spoil the surprise so you’ll have to go to
the show and discover it for yourself.
Being both an artist and curator, Aron Conaway brought an
interesting perspective to developing an exhibition. I caught up with him to
get his story on how he balanced both of those roles. Here’s what he had to say:
“I gave the artists basically a complete freedom in
coming up with what they felt
most accurately reflected their own opinions, memories,
or emotions related September Eleventh, 2001 and/or interconnected fallout in
the following 10 years. I feel that the artists' personal statements were very
powerful, which, beyond pestering them to turn them in and throwing them on the
wall, was beyond my curatorial power. I definitely see a relationship between
my being an artist and my loose approach to receiving work in this show. I
enjoy the magic of leaving the final products and group of work up to the
collective unconscious, and then intuitively working with these materials in a
space”.
Overall, I would call the exhibition a success. My only negative comment is on a few of
the photographic works. Some of the pieces were unoriginal in concept and hung
in such a way that it was hard as a viewer to even look at the work. Thankfully
it only applies to a few pieces and doesn’t affect the overall positive impact
and refined execution of the show.
It’s not easy taking a tragic moment in US history and portraying it
through creative means. Aron Conaway has done a great job of embodying each
side of the issue. From direct political pieces to abstract conceptual work, In
the Course of Human Events is an exhibition
everyone should see.
Make sure you make it down to the LVAA at the Louisville
Water Tower before the show ends on September 13. Gallery Hours: Monday-Friday 9-5, Sunday 12-4.
Admission is $3/$2 for seniors and students free to LVAA members and children
under 12.
The Louisville Visual Art Association is also hosting a few
events to tie in with the exhibition:
Looking Back – A Day of Remembrance: Sunday September 11, 1PM-5PM. Programming to
include live performances, film-showings and ephemeral artwork in memory of
September 11, 2001. Free and open to the public, all ages.
Food for Thought,
Luncheon and Lecture: Tuesday September 13, Noon-1:30PM
Presentation by Aron Conaway, Curator and LVAA Open Doors
Program Manager.
Reservations required; $15 member/$20 non-member
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