For immediate release Contact: Kim Harrell 720.203.3575 February 25, 2008 Less is More AURORA – The ‘less is more’ idiom is closely associated with the modern movement in architecture characterized by Frank Lloyd Wright in America and the teachings of the Bauhaus in Germany. This continues to be an approach in works that are ‘designed’ and it can be said that the spirit of ‘less is more’ was evident in the Minimalist art works of the 1960s and 70s. Three Colorado artists have taken the spirit of Minimalism and brought it to their craft and art in 2008. ‘untitled’, at the East End Applied Arts gallery, is an exhibition of fine and applied artists, Kim Harrell, Lynda Ladwig and Tonia Bonnell. The lines of ‘art and craft’ are blurred by the context of their presentation and use of materials, particularly in the work of Harrell. She is the owner of East End Applied Arts and an accomplished designer jeweler and silversmith in her own right. In this show, she has used the Minimalist movement directly for her inspiration. “I was greatly influenced by the Bauhaus when I was at college and so my work has always been ‘minimal’,” says Harrell. “However, with this body of work I have been intentional in taking ideas, materials and presentations I discovered from my research.” Such materials as steel, rubber and hemp used by artists Carl Andre, Eva Hesse and Robert Morris are used by Harrell to create ‘wearable art’. Some of the work will be presented as an installation encouraging the viewer to consider the pieces as sculptural rather than just functional. Lynda Ladwig, a ceramic artist who hand builds functional and sculptural pieces from porcelain, is famous for her black and white palette and subtle decorative elements. Also an architectural designer, Ladwig’s work can be considered minimalist, specifically with her functional pieces. It’s all about form and function and a celebration of her chosen medium, porcelain. Tonia Bonnell, who draws and is a printmaker, also has a black and white palette. Using tiny marks, Bonnell says of her work: “By limiting my means of expression, I am able to investigate the dynamic capabilities of the seemingly simple mark.” She also states that, “Essential to all pieces is the shift that happens when the viewer approaches the work.” This philosophy is closely linked with the Minimalists who wished to remove the personal expression aspect from their work and allow the viewers to interpret the work from their own experiences. ‘untitled’ opens Friday, March 14, with a public reception from 5.30 – 8 pm, at East End Applied Arts, 1556 Florence Street in Aurora and continues through April 26, 2008. ‘Tea & Talk’, an informal discussion with the three artists, will be held Saturday, April 19 from 2-4pm; the opening and the Tea & Talk are free and open to the public. East End Applied Arts is open Thursday through Saturday noon-5.30 pm and by appointment. You can reach the gallery at 720.203.3575 and info@eastendarts.com or by visiting the website, www.eastendarts.com. |