Inside Art with Michael Rose - Jamestown Arts Center Presents a Spaced Out Exhibition

Inside Art with Michael Rose - Jamestown Arts Center Presents a Spaced Out Exhibition

Over the course of the pandemic, notions of space have become pronounced. On view through August 14 at the Jamestown Arts Center, the exhibition Spacing Out: Expanding the Field of Vision compellingly examines issues related to space and dimensionality in art. Curated by Karen Conway, the show features two and three-dimensional artworks by a group of fifteen artists. A multifaceted exhibition, it is well worth a drive to the island.

The exhibition opens with wall-mounted sculptures of hummingbirds assembled from recognizable found objects by artist Tom Deininger. Set off against a space painted to resemble a cloudy sky, they invite one to examine and appreciate some of the gaudily colored bits that make up the whole, including a pair of orange-handled scissors or a tiny action figure. For children of the ’90s, a yellow K’Nex building block is immediately noticeable.

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Entering an outer gallery space, florally-inspired assemblages by Alicia Renadette steal the show. While one of her sculptural forms is confined to a single wall, another grouping by the artist expressively climbs a nearby staircase. As part of her medium, Renadette makes use of artificial flowers rescued from the refuse piles of Oakland Cemetery in Cranston. The rebirth of these objects is something of a tribute and one which becomes rather more poetic against the backdrop of life during the pandemic.

One of the most striking works in the exhibition is Tayo Heuser’s Vespers. A collection of seven circular panels which reflect the seemingly infinite reverberations of a struck gong, the grouping appears to float beautifully. This piece is the product of both intense consideration and technical proficiency. In it Heuser used handmade Gofun, a Japanese paint created from oyster shells and fish gelatin. Tonally subtle, its surfaces are made up of soft blues, pale neutrals, and the occasional 24karat gold teardrop, inspired by the tear of a Madonna the artist found in a medieval manuscript.

Of the piece, Heuser says, “Much of the work I create has been linked to the earth and sky. This one in particular strives to cross the vast silent ether between us and the arched dome above us. Looking up into the sky I feel weightless, not only physically but also my thoughts are freed of burdens and join the echoed silence of infinite space.” When observing Vespers, visitors can expect to have a similarly peaceful and meditative experience.

While some of the pieces were made in the last year or so, others were conceived of less recently, giving a sense of the time-tested nature of the ideas and techniques the exhibition unpacks. These older works are some of the show’s most enticing.

Ed Schlossberg’s Nothing Can Be, dates to 1990. It consists of three transparent panels which each have disrupted text applied to them. When viewed from the front, a close observer can almost assemble the words. Schlossberg’s work is steeped in ideas that date back to his development as an artist in the 1960’s. Leslie Dill’s bronze figure FAITH from 2010 also incorporates text, but as an inscription on a figure which levitates on an adjacent wall. Dill is rightly renowned for her innovative combinations of text with art, and the exhibition includes several examples of her production. Hugh Hayden’s Rapunzel, completed in 2012, features a basketball hoop with a net that descends into an intricate braid eventually touching the floor. It thoughtfully probes issues surrounding hypermasculine athletics and queerness using readily available objects.

In addition to the exhibition on view at JAC’s Valley Street space, outdoor sculptural artworks can be viewed at sites spread across the Island in the corresponding installation Spacing (Outside). Pairing art viewing with scenic exploration, this is the perfect summertime jaunt in beautiful Jamestown.

When asked what she hopes visitors to the exhibition take away from it, curator Karen Conway says, “I hope visitors to the JAC can see that artists can be quite daring and push the boundaries between 2D in 3D art.” The exhibition does indeed allow its audience to see how daring artists can be. Spacing Out is a richly varied show and one which rewards time spent with it. From the big conceptual ideas considered to the infinitesimal details which make up some of the artworks, the show is a delightful exploration not just of space, but also of surface, texture, form, and art itself.

Spacing Out will be on view at the Jamestown Arts Center through August 14. JAC’s hours are Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 11 am - 3 pm, Thursdays, 11 am - 7 pm, as well as by appointment. On July 28 at 7:30 pm, JAC will host a conversation between featured artist Ed Schlossberg and Karen Conway on Zoom. For more information, visit jamestownartcenter.org.