Birdhouse (In Your Soul), acrylic on masonite. Click image to view source.
This Friday night, come on down to the okcCoCo and see the group show Typo: Words and Pictures.
When: Friday 02.26.2010, 7-10 pm. Where: Oklahoma City Coworking Collaborative, 723 N Hudson Ave (map link) Who: Marilyn Artus, Sarah Atlee, Bryan Dahlvang, Kris Kanaly, Christopher Lee, romy owens, Josh Reynolds, and Cassie Stover. &c: Light refreshments will be served. Family-friendly, free.
Erin K. is interviewing some of the artists in the show, and I thought I'd share some more detail by answering her questions here.
What is the purpose of this exhibit?
Typo is a group invitational exhibit exploring the collision of text and imagery in two-dimensional art. I put out a call to artists asking for work incorporating hand lettering, graffiti, advertising, typographic design, or any other combination of words and pictures. What we got is work in a variety of media, approaching this idea from many different angles. This show is at the Oklahoma City Coworking Collaborative, at 723 N Hudson in downtown OKC, through the end of February. Why are you participating in this particular exhibit?
I wanted to put together a group show for the okcCoCo's unique, vibrant space. This is a place where freelancers, entrepreneurs, and other creative professionals come to work and share ideas. Showing art here adds to the lively dialogue among creative thinkers in central Oklahoma.
Was your piece created specifically for the show or is this part of your creative style?
I have been interested in lettering as a visual tool for most of my life, so I often incorporate text into my paintings. The two works that I put into the show, Undies and Birdhouse, are from 2005 and 2007, respectively.
I love how when letters are added to a visual composition, they become a visual element in addition to conveying meaning through language. To emphasize this transition, I often paint text in a way that is intentionally unreadable. I hope viewers will appreciate the letterforms as much as the other shapes and textures in the work. Plus, if someone is trying to "read" my painting, then they'll stand in front of it for just a little longer than usual.
Why do you think people should attend this exhibit?
People who come to this show will not only enjoy the work by some of my favorite local artists, but also learn about the okcCoCo and all the great things we have to offer here. (Folks can also learn more at www.okccoco.com)