3 new exhibitions to open at Old Jail
Three new exhibitions are set to open at the Old Jail Art Center, running Sept. 15 through Feb. 2, 2019.
The Old Jail’s board of trustees is hosting a members opening at the museum this Saturday, Sept. 15 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., featuring an artists’ reception and dinner.
Texas Moderns: Sam Gummelt
Childhood experiences including sewing with his grandmother, and exposure to the German folk art tradition of painting on the reverse side of glass left a lasting impression on Sam Gummelt and can be seen in his non-objective abstract art.
Gummelt typically “builds” his paintings by assembling and adhering wood panels, cutting shallow horizontal and vertical grooves into them to serve as linear elements and produce a multi-panel effect. He then adds layers of various materials to create his desired effect.
Recently the artist has utilized cardboard boxes for the structure of his paintings, then added his signature layer upon layer of assorted media.
Cam Schoepp: broken/time
The latest in the Cell Series of exhibitions, Cam Schoepp: broken/time features a grid of sound domes containing miniature metronomes set up in the isolation cell, and plaster “starburst” objects in the gallery.
The metronomes will each keep a separate account of time, and are supposed to represent the implications of dealing with time, while the plaster objects are intended to look like they have crashed, in an effort to impart a sense of failure to the viewer.
“I want (the viewer to feel) that kind of emotion of failure,” said Schoepp.
He sees the “broken” forms as representing disruptions in people’s lives.
“The (emotion of) failure is a reaction to its potential before it’s broken,” he said, “but I really think the broken forms are quite beautiful.”
Schoepp’s works range from minimal, contemplative objects to more complex installations that incorporate non-traditional material within carefully considered spaces.
René Treviño:
A New Codex
Baltimore artist René Treviño will display some of his works next to pieces he has selected from the OJAC’s collection.
Many of the figurative objects in the museum’s Pre-Columbian collection become the “players” in Treviño’s drawings and animations, according to OJAC executive director Pat Kelly.
“Placing his own works in the same context as the artifacts challenges viewers to see and seek relationships between the ancient and contemporary,” said Kelly. “The artist’s created world references our past and speaks to our present and future. Though using ancient imagery as a starting point, this imagery is filtered through a contemporary popular culture and art historical context via the artistic process.”
One of the goals for this multi-media exhibition is to create a stimulating interplay between the ancient artifacts and Treviño’s contemporary creations, said Kelly.
“The original depictions of the ancient Pre-Columbian peoples’ religious rituals are often dark, such as communicating with the dead, bloodletting, sacrifices, etc.,” said Kelly. “Treviño includes some of this content, disguised somewhat by injecting super-saturated color, gold, rhinestone appliqué, and a touch of humor.”
All exhibits can be viewed during normal museum hours of 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
