by: Erin Morrison
“Complex Territory: Image and Appearance” is the newest exhibition coming to the Donna Hyland Giertz Gallery at Parkland College. The exhibition opens Monday, Feb. 10, with a reception the following Thursday, Feb.13 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. in the gallery’s lounge. At the reception, there will be a talk by one of the artists, Hale Ekinci, and there will be music performed by the Cobra Lounge Trio. “Complex Territory” will be on display in Giertz Gallery until Tuesday, March 24.
In addition to the reception, there will also be lectures given by three of the artists while the exhibition is in the gallery; the artists will be speaking about their works. Hale Ekinci will be speaking before the reception on Feb. 13 at 2:30 p.m. in the Staerkel Planetarium. Whitney Sage will be speaking on Monday, March 2 at 3 p.m. in Lecture Hall C118, and Parkland Associate Professor of Fine and Applied Arts, Peggy Shaw, will be speaking in C118 on Tuesday, March 10t at 10:30 a.m.
Both the reception and the artists’ lectures are free and open for the public.
In an interview with Lisa Costello, the Gallery Director and Sarah Marjonovic, the Exhibition Coordinator, it was confirmed that the newest gallery show will feature 55 pieces from nine artists from different parts of the country. The pieces feature all different types of mediums including photography, painting, video, and printmaking.
“The exhibition is made up of pieces that make you think. Many of the pieces may seem fairly simple at first, but they have deeper meanings, making the pieces part of a ‘Complex Territory.’”
Costello said that the process of putting this exhibition together started about eight months ago with exhibition proposals through calls, emails, and submissions. There were over 100 submissions. Of the nine artists’ works that she chose, Costello said she saw something similar in all of them. “I thought it would be nice to put together for people to study, compare, and contrast,” Costello said.
“There’s a conceptual element to their work,” Costello said, speaking on the theme of the exhibition. “The exhibition is made up of pieces that make you think. Many of the pieces may seem fairly simple at first, but they have deeper meanings, making the pieces part of a ‘Complex Territory.’”
Chicago based artist, Hale Ekinci, is one of the artists who will be speaking on Parkland’s campus. Her art uses painting, embroidery, and photography. Her subjects are largely centered around her Turkish heritage and her life with her husband in America.
Whitney Sage, another artist speaking on campus, creates art that revolves around rich, urban history and the flight to the suburbs. She is a native of the suburbs of Detroit.
Peggy Shaw, artist and associate professor at Parkland, will also be speaking about her work. According to Shaw via email, “The piece I have in this exhibit is video and sound projected over photography… My work comes from personal experience – unfortunately death and loss, but also love and connection.” She said that using multiple layers and mixed media allows her to more freely express herself.
Other artists in the show include Paul Flippen, whose drawings come from his book “36 days.” Flippen drew every day for 36 days after his father passed. Artists Mark Schoon and Casey McGuire collaborated to create their “Great Moon Hoax” photographs that make you question if photography always shows the ultimate truth.
Artist Adriane Little’s pieces showcase a mapping of Virginia Woolf’s novel, “Mrs. Dalloway,” in current times. Artist Thom Sawyer’s pieces may look unsuspecting at first, but upon closer inspection make viewers question what is not being seen. Michael Thompson is a stamp artist who mails his art all over the world. His stamps can be political and comedic statements.
Giertz Gallery will be closed the week of Feb. 2 until “Complex Territory” opens on Feb. 10. In the meantime, gallery monitor Lauren Babcock said they will be packing away the previous exhibition “Masters of Material” and setting up for the newest show.
For more information about the gallery show, please see the Giertz Gallery website at https://www.parkland.edu/Audience/Community-Business/Parkland-Presents/Art-Gallery.
