Arts and Entertainment

Art exhibit at New Kensington features collaboration of artists and techniques

“The Unspoken” pairs artists to create visual stories; three-month show runs until Sept. 26

“The Unspoken no. 42,” a mixed media on panel by Joshua Hogan and Brenda Stumpf, is a part of The Unspoken exhibit at Penn State New Kensington. Credit: Bill Woodard / Penn StateCreative Commons

“Visual communication is the key to conveying a case for change -- and often the strategy that provides direction for that change. When blended with verbal and kinesthetic language, visual language becomes the tool that not only creates an effective dialogue around issues but also identifies actions for improvement. As we continue to become a multicultural society, understanding how people communicate visually is crucial to our understanding of one another.”— Curatorial Statement, The Unspoken exhibitUPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- The pairing of eight artists on collaborative pieces using different mediums is the focus of a special three-month exhibit in the art gallery at Penn State New Kensington.

“The Unspoken” runs from July 1 to Sept. 26, and features 45 works of Kyle Ethan Fischer, Joshua Hogan, Kuzana Ogg, Jennipher Satterly, Nicole Schneider, Romi Sloboda, Brenda Stumpf and Shawn Watrous, instructor in art at the New Kensington campus.

According to Nicole Capozzi, owner and director of BoxHeart Gallery in Pittsburgh and curator of the exhibit, the artists are communicating visually with “stories, not statistics” and “people, not programs," The humanity aspect of the show dovetails with Penn State’s mission of service to the community.

“This human focus reflects the culture that Penn State New Kensington manifests within its community,” Capozzi said. “We are excited to present a coherent concept of artwork with a look and feel that reflects the embracing personality, the innovative spirit, and the mission of the campus."

The pieces on display are collaborative efforts by two artists. Artwork started by one artist was finished by another. Individually, the artists told their stories through a variety of visual styles, experiences and expressions. Together, the artists’ stories evolve and are open to new interpretations. The hybrid pieces give audiences a new way of looking at familiar objects.

The first artist defined the medium, which is the material used for the piece and technique used by the artist, and constructed an original piece that showcased the artist’s creative processes. The second artist took control of the artwork-in-process and continued the visual dialogue by implementing local experiences that added new meaning to the piece. The finished product is a different version of the same story.

“Each work of art expresses the artists’ subject in the context of their values, culture and events specific to their lives,” Capozzi said, “The resulting artwork is a stunning and fascinating display of form, color, texture and composition, processed as another form of language with its own vocabulary, grammar and syntax.”

The artists previously exhibited “The Unspoken” at Capozzi’s BoxHeart Gallery in April and May.

An artists’ reception is slated for Friday, Sept. 18, in the gallery. The time will be announced at a later date. The exhibit and reception are free to the public. The art gallery is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., weekdays and noon to 5 p.m., weekends.

“We relish the opportunity to present a visual message of modernity, simplicity and sophistication while focusing on the artists and the stories they tell,” Capozzi said.

For more information, contact Tina Sluss at 724-334-6056 or tms57@psu.edu

For more about the artists, curator and BoxHeart Gallery, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/46238.htm

For photos of the exhibit, visit http://psnk.smugmug.com/ 

“Accumulative Series no. 5” is a mixed media and collage relief over paper by Nicole Schneider and Shawn Watrous, The artists collaborated on the piece using different mediums. "The Unspoken" exhibit runs through Sept. 26 in the Penn State New Kensington art gallery. Credit: Bill Woodard / Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated July 7, 2015

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