In “Better than Nature,”a new exhibit opening this Sunday at Evanston Art Center, 2603 Sheridan Road, four artists display their interpretations of the human motivation to alter the natural world.
Using the space and shape of the center’s four galleries and the view from each window, the artists created pieces designed to fit the rooms.
The exhibit provided an opportunity for Barbara Kendrick to examine the role fashion plays in changing function or appearance, she said. Her piece, called “Daphne,” consists of a wooden chair wearing an extravagant ballroom skirt made of wood-grain-printed fabric. The wood-grain pattern also appears on the white walls with blue synthetic hair.
“It’s as though the chair is trying to be part of the floor, but has gone to excess – and in this flamboyant way, it’s not going to succeed,” Kendrick said.
The exhibit is an opportunity for patrons to view different perspectives on the concept of “better than nature,” Kendrick said.
“I believe there would be something for everyone,” Kendrick said. “The work is so different. Each artist has a different response to the idea for the show.”
Curator John Brunetti said he was intrigued by the proposal because the subject matter, manipulating nature, was so closely tied to the gallery itself. He said although the center’s grounds on the edge of Lake Michigan look natural, they were redesigned by an architect in the early 20th century.
“The exhibit addresses how individuals manipulate the natural environment for their own purposes, which echoes the location of the art center,” Brunetti said.
During the opening reception Sunday afternoon, the gallery will hold a panel discussion with the four artists.
Artist Cynthia Morgan has installed her piece twice before, but said this was her first time in such a small display space. The work, “Vanilla Geyser,”examines the relationship between young girls and nature. White dresses are suspended over a steamer concealed by fake frosted cakes. Visitors will be able to hear the geyser and smell the scent of vanilla.
“I like to have multi-sensory pieces,” Morgan said. “They may not be aware that there was a sound in the room until they leave it.”
Morgan calls the piece “vaguely autobiographical.”
Lelde Kalmite, the center’s director of development and public relations, said patrons who come to see the exhibit are viewing some of the best in contemporary art.
“Installation work is something that is very interesting and innovative in the art world,” Kalmite said. “When the public comes, they’re looking at something very new and cutting-edge, right here in Evanston.”
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