The Precious Object

For each person the word precious can have many different meanings but to some art students “The Precious Object” means so much more. Two weeks ago my art expedition sent me to the Minneapolis Library, MN. The libraries architecture was phenomenal to the extent you wouldn’t even think about the building being a library if it wasn’t for the large stone sign that reads “Minneapolis Library.”

The building is constructed from a large amount of glass that holds many different levels. As you walk in you’re greeted with a large opening that shows the variety of the different levels. I was seriously in “AWE” as I walked through the building. I remember repeating on many different occasions “I am in a library?” I promise you if you have not been to the library or don’t even like the library this library you have to see!!! This building is constructed for all viewers and offers
many different things; although, I was only truly interested in the art exhibit.

The exhibit is located on the second floor. It’s a small room with a bit of a worm atmosphere the tiles of the floor give the room a bit of a color but the art that is in the room brightens it to no other. I could not remember the last time I had seen some really interesting art that made me stare for minuets. The details of the art that was there were incredible.

The title of the exhibit that was appearing in the library was called “The Precious Object,” the exhibits held the theme of bring groups of objects to one location to find out how they would interact with another across many different disciplines. The objects are to bring an early impulse from the contemporary age and to help viewers understand the world in rational orders. From the start of Europe to the home of Minnesotans and across the world “The Precious Object,” continues to spread.

Out of all the different creative forms of art I found four pieces to draw my attention the most those four pieces were Bellicose Biotype, Blinded by words, Mimicry and It could have happened yesterday; it could have happen today.

Bellicose Biotope by Liz Miller, mixed media, 2009 was a very interesting piece that hung from the ceiling of the exhibit. It was created through different materials with the main material being felt. Ms. Miller is involved in the relationships between the environment and the man made environment. Her piece that was showing at this exhibit was of multiple floras that were both beautiful and dangerous. She is trying to capture the beauty of organic and organic growth.
I found her piece very interesting and yet also expiring.

The next piece was blinded by Words by Beth Barron, hand stitched cotton thread on cotton cloth with dog hair, 2009. Ms. Barron has a love for words, poetry and letters. This was very much recognized through her work of art.

What I found very interesting and eye catching in her piece is that the viewer was not capable of seeing any words until he or she was to use the megaphine glass that was offered to them. Once the viewer was to use this tool it was very clear she had stitched small words into the fabric. The stitching is the same color as the clothed material and dog hair.

I really enjoyed this piece and I thought it was very clever of her to use white and white throughout the whole piece but for a small detail of red that was stitched in but in small portions.
Mimicry by Alison Hittner, mixed media: wax, clay and artificial flowers, 2009. This piece I thought was very creative and unique. I had never seen anything like this but reminded me of some kind of poisons flower that one would see on a movie.

Ms. Hittner was trying to express endless possibilities and continuous evolutions. Where she could express the question “what if mundane objects were suddenly infused with life?” she expressed her art with exploration of one’s potential path in an alternate natural history. By doing this she creative small shaped flowers assorted with many different colors to show a human and environment theme.

The next piece that seemed to catch my eye for a long while was it could have happened yesterday or could have happened today by Andy Ducett, mixed media, 2009. His piece used many different common house hold objects to create one master piece.

Mr. Ducett’s main priority in this project was exploring the identity of groups and relationships of objects. He wanted to express selective memory and personal significant of different objects one would collect over time. He used these objects as a mind map recalling his childhood memories in Minnesota’s pop culture.

I really enjoyed looking at this piece and the different Medias, I found he used lights, towels, fan, quit tips, elephant, cups, record player, posters and much more. It was really neat how he incorporated each item into a whole project. The meaning of each piece was recognized or the viewer could create their own memory from it. I spend most of my time in front of this piece with many other observers. From every angle you stood there was something new to focus on!