One
weekend in Kansas City is just not enough. In three days, Julia and I got the
whirlwind tour of the arts community there - meeting artists, visiting spaces,
and engaging in thoughtful conversations.
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| The Kansas City Flatfile exhibition at H&R Block Artspace. The work on this wall was selected by Kelsey Karper. |
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| The studio of Garry Noland, Studios, Inc |
We
were also thrilled to be invited to visit two artist’s studios at Studios Inc, a 51,000 square foot building in the Crossroads Arts District, which
has been converted to studio space. The studios are offered free of charge to
mid-career artists. It also offers a wood shop, exhibition space, professional
development, and networking.
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| Julia Kirt and Garry Noland in his studio at Studios, Inc. |
Our
first studio visit was with Garry Noland. His large tapestry-like
works are constructed primarily of multi-colored duct tape, though you probably
wouldn’t realize it at first glance. The works are intricate and detailed, and
other materials invariably make their way in – like texture from the studio
floor or bits of National Geographic magazines.
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| The studio of Dylan Mortimer, Studios, Inc. |
We
also visited the studio of Dylan Mortimer, whose clever works may
go unnoticed if you aren’t paying attention. His “Road Signs” series combines
official-looking street signs installed in public places with commentary about
religion in the public realm. Though, his more recent works are little more
difficult to miss, as they have become Las Vegas-style marquees, complete with
glitter and lights.
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| "Float" by Jarrett Mellenbruch, a public art installation for Avenue of the Arts. Background: Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. |
Here
are some of the other destinations we visited in Kansas City:
Watch for more about our trip in an upcoming post from Julia.
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1 comment:
Thank you for sharing this tour!
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