Ties that Bind: Part 1

June is Wedding Month and in keeping with that, the next exhibition at A.K. Collings Gallery is entitled "Ties that Bind".

The opening reception will be on Sunday May 31, from 2 to 4.

Robert Malinowski and Erin Glover are two young artists who will be departing for their honeymoon in Paris on the weekend following the opening. They have produced a series of delicate drawings which are romantic and just a tiny bit odd...capturing the truth and intensity of married life.

Svava Thordis Juliusson is a sculptor who works with zip ties and other found materials. She will be installing sculpture from the "Svona, Svona" series. (this is a term of consolation in Icelandic, roughly meaning "there, there"). Juliusson's work and the Glover/Malinowski collaborative drawings relate thematically, and her work will be discussed in my next post.



Artist statement for "Ties That Bind": collaborative drawings by Erin Glover and Robert Malinowski:

"In our most recent work, we have staged small vignettes that unveil personal encounters in public spaces. The mixed media pieces sew together delicately rendered drawings and gem – like photo based images onto the same surface. The work is intended to hold conversation between the two of us as artists, as well as tell an intimate story as you travel through each image. We have both carried solo artistic careers in our respective media for the past seven years, but relish an opportunity to work together on collaborative projects. Our duet work has grown to hold a history of its own."


"Robert’s drawings depict moments excerpted from every day. The figures are shown overwhelmed by thoughts or emotions or both. Rendered as pencil drawn portraits, the characters are perfectly composed except for their heads which appear to fragment and float away from their bodies. Replaced by hearts, letters, numbers, or a variety of combined symbols, the identities are lost in an eruption of penciled markings."


"Erin’s work paints a series of domestic tokens. A gathering of garments that wrap, cover, and protect; and furniture pieces that shelter and embrace. Each item is shown empty, but carrying shapes and forms that reference the body. The collected personal objects and furniture are all worn from use and tend to adopt grand and layered personalities when planted into the new compositions. These works are small pockets of private space."


"In our collaborative work, the space is a shared landscape between the domestic tokens and the story book portraits. Sometimes, through the process, the negative space becomes more important. Large expanses of unclaimed white allow for tension and connection to grow between the figures and the objects in each piece. In our newest pieces, the figures and the household items will be shown close together, often overlapping. Robert will draw people huddled on a sofa and Erin will carefully paint a quilt over and around them. Erin will paint patterned sheets on a bed and Robert will gently pencil lovers sleeping underneath."


"It is critical to our development as artists to continue working together as an artistic team. In the process of producing collective artwork there is an natural critique that occurs. With each artistic mark, a partnered response. We are each others art community, critic, and collaborator. It is an invaluable experience to have the opportunity to work so closely with another artist to develop an ever growing series of pieces."


A.K. Collings Gallery
Hours:
Fridays and Saturdays, noon to 5
(Sundays, by invitation, for Artist Receptions)
otherwise, by appointment