Welcome to Visual Hierarchy, an online visual playground. Gathered here are pictures I make. Visual Hierarchy is a laboratory. Research is done in a wide variety of mediums.
Jason Lanka’s massive drawings and photos are now on display in the Atrium space in the Union. They will be up for several weeks. Here are some images of his work and some information about his work.
Boundary; something that marks or fixes a limit (as of territory). The line that divides one area of land from another.
The space at which our culture comes in contact with the environment inspires my creative work. Much can be understood about the nature of how our society defines its role and place within the natural world by the observation of this boundary.
I seek to address the demarcation of our species’ relationship with the land. Am I of the land or in the land? Each piece made within a lineage of exploration has set out to answer this question. Our identity as people and a nation are so often defined by our place within our environment and how we view our relationship with the natural world.
The gallery I work at (UAG) has a pretty badass show going on currently called Flora/Fauna. If any of you are in the Milwaukee area or are passing through, definitely check it out. I did a post on Roxanne Jackson awhile back, some of the work in that post is worth looking at. Here is what we have in the show:
At the artist talk before the opening of the show Roxanne discussed the ideas surrounding her work. Transformation from man into creature or beast is a recurring theme as well as animal hybrids. I agree with Roxanne in that such a transformation is a fantasy, that we are already beasts, yet we often fear our animal nature in desperate attempt to feel superior. I don’t care so much for her works with wigs, but her ceramic heads and animals are fantastic. They draw on goth and horror aesthetics. Being a metal head I find much of her work exceedingly, specifically the black heads with jaws pushing out of the human mouth.
Kako’s usage of paper started in a happenstance sort of way. She’s always been using paper as a drawer, but many years ago she just sort of started cutting it one night. What ensued was a series of beautifully crafted and composed artworks. A large theme in her work is life and death. Life needs death and death life. To depict this she uses imagery of plants, insects, eggs, a skull, and faces. In her work “Totem” (the red paper cut outs above) are a string of narratives composing her own totem pole of sorts. Clown imagery is drawn from her mother’s interest and collection of clown dolls. The other narratives are privately inspired and we can only conclude them in our imagination.
Kako Ueda and Roxanne Jackson focus on physical nature and human nature in abstract and inventive ways. They share an interest in dualities, such as nature and culture, light and dark. In their work, the natural world is intricate, fascinating, grotesque, frightening – something to be drawn deeply into and sometimes shocked by.
New York artist Kako Ueda constructs her work from intricate hand-cut paper which references, in part, paper cutting from Japan where she was born. Minneapolis-based Roxanne Jackson works three-dimensionally with clay to form large compositions of human/animal hybrids.
Packaging materials are some of the least environmentally friendly items around, but also some the most entertaining items in existence. For me Thread Baring was my favorite show to install this semester. A lot of good work throughout the year, but this show excites my interest the most.
For those of you in the Milwaukee area, be sure to clear your Thursday on November 19th for the opening of the show. It is guaranteed to rock! The show is being put on by the UWM Union Art Gallery (UAG). Here is their blog.
More legible details:
November 19 – December 18th
Opening reception: Thursday, November 19, 5-8pm
Gallery talk with Adam Parker Smith: Friday, November 20th, 4pm
This group exhibition looks at masculinity as represented by male artists working in forms and mediums often considered to be the domain of women. Using materials like thread, yarn and felt in practices like weaving, knitting and embroidery , these visually compelling two and three-dimensional works aim to challenge preconceptions about the subject and forms of men’s art. With a literal construction of masculinity, these fiber artists present contrasts meant to perplex and intrigue.
Artists include : Youn Woo Chaa, Robert Conger, Angelo Filomeno, Craig Fisher, Kent Henrickson, Mark Newport, Chris Niver, Adam Parker Smith, Paul Villinski, Michael Brennand- Wood, and Rob Wynne.
A new show is up in the Atrium for a couple weeks featuring some of Drawing and Painting major Francesca Cozzone’s most recent work. Here are a several samples of her work, of course not as good as the real thing. Go check it out!
Clark Stamm is a Milwaukee based artist whose drawings and paintings are inherently stunning in color, form, and craft. A selection of his works are currently being shown in the University of Wisconsin MIlwaukee Union Atrium space. His work will be up until the 30th, see it while you can! Here is a sample of the work on display:
Current Talk