curiosities at annex gallery
Curator Anita Andersons presents Curiosities, an exhibition of paintings, prints, sculpture, taxidermy, drawings and film inspired by oddity, wonder, fantasy and sometimes absurdity. Andersons, an artist, contributor and longtime friend of the Detroit art community selected 35 artists, from emerging to established, whose work evokes curiosity. “I wanted to create a space where people are curious enough to ask questions with themselves and the artist—move beyond just looking.” Andersons says.
Jan Filarski is a master of these intricate abstractions fully developing ideas in such intricate detail they border on representational. This brightly hued piece reads like layers in an archeological excavation documenting several periods of evolution.
Adrian Hatfield floats a figure in an algal-like oozing muck that separates enough to reveal two opposing scenes. One is an ominous industrial setting pumping toxic smoke into the atmosphere. The other a forest of healthy trees offering blooming flowers along their roots. Is there still time to choose or have we swung past the point of no return?
Susan Aaron-Taylor is at her creepy best using petrified wood for this decaying corpse’s skeleton. A bit of red agate sets as the heart of this endangered species.
East Side/West Side provides some warmth with realistic Blue Jays perched safely at home. A distressed treatment along with a rusted piece of saw blade lends a sense of age as well as contributes to the heavily textured, playful piece.
Tiny and intriguing, this softly effective composition carries its big stick in its title. This piece is collaged but doesn’t read collaged until close inspection which allows the viewer to appreciate its quiet allure in this show’s cacophony of materials and palettes.
Compelled by the powerhouse list of participants, I jumped to see this show that is sadly open only momentarily. There are large sculptures suspended from the ceiling to works so small the only way to appreciate them is nose-in close. The work certainly fulfills the show title but also serves a microcosm of the community itself.
On view through Nov 11th at Annex Gallery 333 Midland, Highland Park
*check website for complete list of participating artists
**images are mine
direct quote from gallery materials
I do my best to get around to a broad range of shows and spaces to bring you both a review of a cool show as well as links to galleries with shows open. I’d very much appreciate your support. Thank you.
SHOWS OPEN THIS WEEKEND
I attended the opening, an event that filled Annex Gallery with artists and their followers. I am glad that you have written about the show and the curator, a longtime supporter of the arts who I've only known as part of the music and literary community. Susan Aaron - Taylor might be read as creepy. However, after following this artist for decades, I've taken to reading Aaron - Taylor's objects as retrievals straight from the subconscious.