Instinct Art Gallery finds the dark beauty in earthly matters
Instinct Art Gallery's curator John Schuerman likes work that lives on the edge between beauty and darkness.
For his next show, titled "Heavy: The Metal Show," Schuerman's gathered a group of artists who aren't afraid to dig deep to create works that both delight and disturb.
"I’m looking for artists who are doing something a little surprising with metal and are showing people where artists can go with metal, Schuerman said.
Where they can go, according to Schuerman, is anywhere they please. The gallery features everything from dresses to churches to political statements. The show also features paintings and photographs inspired by metal.
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"Heavy" is Instinct's fourth show since opening last September. It coincides with the 2014 SNAG Conference (Society of North American Goldsmiths) which is being held in Minneapolis at the end of April.
Many of the pieces play with paradoxes.
Karen Searle's "How Mother Dressed Me" is a manifestation of traditional women's work (knitted dresses) but done in a medium that's considered typically masculine (copper wire). Mayumi Amada's "Shackles of Convention" -- a cast iron corset -- plays with both notions of heavy and light while examining the constrictions of fashion.
A photograph by Shelly Mosman features a man holding his gun.
"I’m in favor of much tighter gun control but I can relate to that guy loving his gun," said Schuerman with a laugh. "You can just see it."
"Heavy: The Metal Show" opens Saturday with a reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and runs through May 10 at Instinct Art Gallery on the Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis.