MICHAEL PEOPLES - WUNDERKAMMER
OPENS THURSDAY FEB. 19TH
About
Rubber ducks, the number 3, swimming goggles, and yard gnomes - among other things - all cast in wax in multiples and multicolors, arranged in space: these will be on view for the Fire Barn Gallery's first conceptual art show, opening February 19th. Michael Peoples' individual works will become an installation, designed specifically for the gallery.
In Peoples' own words, installation is "…the transformation of a space to reflect the persona of the artist." An early influence on his work is the wunderkammer, or 'cabinet of curiosities.' Wunderkammer were idiosyncratic collections of art, natural history, and a wide variety of objects that in some ways anticipated the modern museum, and were first popular around the 1500's.
Michael Peoples uses this idea as a reference point for the current exhibit.
His 3-dimensional work tends to utilize a large assortment of consumer-oriented objects that have some significance for him, arranged in unlikely combinations. These are then cast and reproduced in wax in large quantities, whose numerical value also hold a personal meaning for him.
His process is repetitive, whether drawing realistic portraits with an accumulation of thousands of thumbprints, or through the patient mass production of a single object in wax.
"I really encourage people to attend the talk at the opening - listening to Michael speak is pretty riveting, it's like his verbal description is part of the art itself." - Chris Protas.
Michael Peoples has shown with Site:Lab, UICA, and has another show concurrent with this one at the Van Singel Fine Arts Center.
The show opens Thursday, February 19th from 6-8 pm, with a talk by the artist at 7 pm. Complimentary wine will be available.