BLANDEN ART MUSEUM
Harmonizing Dimension: Exploring Motion, Time, and Rhythm
Selections from the Permanent Collection
West Gallery
January - December 30, 2025
Curators Statement:
“Even in stillness, there is movement.” – Anonymous
Visitors can embark on an artistic odyssey with "Harmonizing Dimensions," a curated collection delving into the intricate interplay of motion, time, and rhythm. This transformative exploration shapes and defines the creative landscape, leaving an enduring imprint on the ever-evolving art world.
As we navigate the swift tapestry of the 21st century, our understanding of motion, time, and rhythm in art undergoes a profound transformation. Technological advancements and global connectivity dissolve traditional boundaries, providing artists with new realms to explore.
Step into this odyssey at the Blanden, where artworks come alive dynamically, transcending conventional expressions. Let the masterpieces converge in your mind, facilitating a harmonious dialogue between motion, time, and rhythm. Across diverse mediums, artists showcase how movement breathes life into their works, time influences narratives, and rhythm orchestrates unique artistic experiences.
Working in varied mediums, these artists share a profound grasp of the interplay among fundamental forces. Witness how motion is captured in brushstrokes, time in sculpture, and rhythm in the arrangement of forms and colors. The exhibition encourages an exploration of the dynamic relationship between the static and kinetic, tangible, and ephemeral, finite, and infinite – offering profound insights into the role of motion, time, and rhythm in shaping artistic expression.
"Harmonizing Dimensions" invites you on a transformative journey where motion, time, and rhythm converge, unlocking uncharted realms of artistic expression. Celebrate the visionary contributions of artists worldwide as they entice us to delve into the profound mysteries within these elemental dimensions.
May this exhibition inspire you to embrace the ever-shifting dynamics of life, fostering a deeper appreciation for the interconnected dance of motion, time, and rhythm in the realm of art.
Soft Geometry
Colin C. Smith
Exhibition dedicated to the memory of Richard Black.
East Gallery
February 3 - April 20, 2024
Curators Statement :
“A painted surface is a real, living form.” - Kazimir Malevich
Colin's latest exhibit is a captivating exploration of material sensitivity and abstract expressionism, seamlessly transcending traditional boundaries. The displayed pieces, reminiscent of barn quilts, feature playful yet intricate forms with a bumpy, tactile surface that immediately draws attention.
Colin's mastery is evident as he skillfully navigates between flat surfaces and three-dimensional realms, engaging the audience in a nuanced spatial exploration. Much like Hoffmann, he strategically employs color temperature, paying homage to DADA, Arte Povera, and Minimalism through a reductive use of industrial and everyday materials. This sparks a broader conversation on surface, color, and composition, urging viewers to reconsider the potential in simplicity.
Echoes of artistic giants like Malevich, Klee, and Mondrian resonate in Colin's hard-edge compositions, where solid geometric shapes stand against an open background. The works invite contemplation of shape, color, and texture, with Colin exploring materials and infusing intense, saturated colors for vibrancy. He adeptly plays with the appearance of softness and brittleness, adding a profound layer of complexity.
In "Soft Geometry," Colin's remarkable fusion of material understanding, striking compositions, and intense color and shape results in a visually striking and conceptually rich body of work that redefines artistic boundaries.
Artist Statement:
SOFT GEOMETRY metamorphosed from a previous body of work known as GUNK. Each series of work comprises the same proprietary media, which is a combination of liquid pigments and a resinous commercial adhesive, however, the outcome for each body of work is distinguishable. Whereby GUNK was a creation of all-over color field, SOFT GEOMETRY evolved with the addition of soft-edged geometric forms inherent at the forefront, which makes the result of the formal playfulness more pronounced, as it brings to life the tension of shape and color interaction. Although the application of this medium is akin to trying to control chaos, the chemical reaction lends itself to producing the look of a 3-D painting with a puffy, textured surface.
Bio:
Colin C. Smith was born and raised in Central Nebraska during the middle of the twentieth century. After receiving his BFA in painting from the University of Nebraska Omaha, Smith received his MFA in printmaking at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Smith has exhibited his work nationally and is currently on art faculty at UNO. He will be presenting a solo exhibition at Blanden Art Museum in early 2024, titled "Soft Geometry." More of his work and information can be found at ccsmithstudio.com.
Tales from a Ghost Town
Joanne Alberda
Second Floor Gallery
March 2 - April 20, 2024
Artist Statement:
Virginia City is a ghost town, the skeleton of a booming Montana gold mining camp in the late 19th century. The silence of this “dead” place gives the viewer time to examine the drama of decay. Empty rooms and broken doorways invite speculation about the lives of people long gone, but the decaying wood invites viewers to search out another story, the life of a living material that grew and developed, was cut and used by hands both skilled and unskilled, and finally left to dry and rot.
Documenting the evidence of time through photography I was moved to capture some of these “tales” with hand dyed fabric, created by the ungoverned mixing of colors, often resembles the growth patterns observed in cut and decaying wood.
I have been creating these works over the past several years with various shades of the gray and rusty reds of decaying wood. Recently I visited an exhibition of works by Clyfford Still, whose content and style reminded me very much of the decayed wood, but his use of bright colors encouraged me to expand on my color choices.
BIO:
Born and educated in the mountains of Montana, I moved to Iowa in my early 20’s. I have learned to love the mid-western landscape. The rich history of the prairies, the vastness of space, the dark loamy soil, and the changing seasons provide an unending source of inspiration for my vision as a fiber artist.
My introduction to the quilt world was through the doors of a traditional quilt guild. Although I have moved into the world of art quilts, my experience there opened my eyes to the lasting power and beauty of rhythm and repetition, or as I like to think of it…visual music. It remains an essential element in my work.
I taught art for 30 year in a small college art department, a career that was characterized by engaging in multiple mediums, as well as a good deal of art history.
I loved it all, and still find it difficult to stick to a single medium. Looking back, however my focus remains quite steady. I gradually developed a body of work that expresses a personal vision and style, but still explores multiple subjects and techniques.
The five pages of my portfolio introduce the major themes of my work over the years. Each page opens with a short statement describing my vision for the body of work displayed there.
Upcoming!
Additional information forthcoming for the following:
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Margaret Bohls - Second Floor Gallery
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Italian Studies - Ceramics (May 4 - June 22, 2024)
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RJ Kern - East Gallery
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The Unchosen Ones - Photography (May 4 - July 20, 2024)
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Jack Dant - Second Floor Gallery
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A World Observed - Paintings (July 13 - Sept 21, 2024)
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