Inside and Out

Exhibition Dates: July 15 - August 9, 2014

Reception: Thursday, July 17, 6 - 8 pm

The Painting Center is pleased to present Inside and Out, a group exhibition of works by 15 different artists. Inside and Out presents the works of fifteen MFA painting candidates from Indiana University Bloomington. These artists reference a plurality of sources in their work, building upon tradition and figuration with a focus on individualized expression. The works navigate the liminal space between observation and abstraction and articulate the tensions that result when referencing worlds both inside and outside of the self. Many of the featured artists visualize this tension in self-created realities that evolve from the figure. Mike Reeves transmutes abstract collages into narrative scenes that expose the arrested sexual and social development of today's male youth. Rhizome: Looking Out, by Nathan Foxton, synthesizes information from reality and imagination to create a fragmented space that hovers between the possible and the impossible. Zach Koch synthesizes popular culture and art historical references developing hectic overlays that reference the inundation of imagery available in current user-generated, "infinite scroll" websites. Christina Weaver is among those who address the aforementioned tension by a reevaluation of the traditional practice of direct observation. Her painting Maw culls from still life, fabric arts and drapery to reference the body and consider gender stereotypes. Greg Burak’s Moving captures moments of stasis, accentuating the poetry and tension hidden in the in-between. Others express this tension by imbuing purely psychological subjects with a sense of reality and substance. Nakima Ollin's abstractions are intimate worlds of color that simultaneously hold on to the picture plane and recede into infinite space, suggesting both a physical and psychological landscape. Tyler Wilkinson’s collages explore the legacy of racial stereotypes and their effect on issues of identity and self-worth. Joe Kameen’s invented narratives use chromatic color, exaggerated action and humor to explore the existential and psychological questions of myth. Greg Watson’s sculptural painting Rainbow Stela addresses physicality, spirituality and the legacy of Minimalism with humor and playfulness. Other participating artists include: Autumn Bussen, Maria Korol, Taylor Leaman, Nathan Perry, Taylor Woolwine, and Ekaterina Vanovskaya.