by Gloria Diaz
Staff Writer
The second installment in the Harris Projects series is here and it features the works of David Minnery, a University of La Verne graduate.
“Imprint” contains art that seems like it was taken from other planets or sci-fi television shows. Six of Minnery’s works are on display in the exhibit.
The first work one encounters in the gallery is a large Venus fly-trap gone wild, which is rather scary at first. Do not be alarmed, it will not bite. It is just one of Minnery’s sculptures, called “Secrets.” It is made of several plastic forms designed from the cavity of the artists’ mouth (the space between the tongue and the upper palate).
This is the second in the Harris Projects series, which is an annual exhibit featuring emerging artists and their site- specific exhibits. All of the new works displayed seem specifically designed for the particular space in which they are being shown.
“Minnery was chosen for this exhibit because his work is strong, relevant, and deals with issues in the humanities,” said Ruth Trotter, head of the Department of Art.
The second work in the gallery is something that appears to be a giant clam on the floor, a giant flesh colored clam. Look closely at the ends of the tails of “Secrets.” “Momentum” is a large replica of the cavity imprints that are in “Secrets”.
On the floor, across from “Momentum,” are 90 lead pieces. This work is called “Remainder,” which Minnery created from having a substance drip down from his hands. Eventually the substance hardened and all ninety pieces were placed upside down on the floor to create the effect of lead plants.
The fourth piece in the exhibit is “Persistence.” It is made entirely out of chalk, and are imprints of Minnery’s hands. There are four of these imprints suspended from the ceiling, hanging aimlessly. There is a small pile of chalk dust on the floor below the hanging hands, showing the passage of time.
Look around closely for the last two works on display, “Orientation” and “Record.” They tend to blend into the wall and seem almost invisible. “Orientation” also features an imprint of Minnery’s arm.
Remember to look for the deeper meaning, as all art requires a person to do. In this case try to find the connection between what the art looks like and its name.
“The art experience is something you should approach with an open mind,” Trotter said. “Draw from the imagination, culture, context, and nature.”
“It is as if the artist has provided beautifully constructed suggestions from which the viewer may take larger meaning, a meaning related specifically to the viewer’s own body,” is how the exhibit catalogue, written by assistant professor of art history, Andres Zervigon, describes Minnery’s work.
Unlike other sculptors who use hard materials which stand the test of time, Minnery uses more fragile materials for his sculptures. Chalk, resin, twine, urethane, plaster, and thread are the main materials used in this exhibit.
The exhibit will run until March 22 with David Minnery speaking on Thursday March 7, at 6 p.m. The Harris Art Gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
