A. Rodefer

visualculturist: Emerging Talent 2012 [Ch. 1]

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:43:40 -0500

visualculturist: Emerging Talent 2012 [Ch. 1]:

[visualculturist has been on sort of an un-planned hiatus, because its primary contributor has a different — and substantially more time-consuming - day job. but as he adjusts to the new rhythm, he promises to pick up the pace.

The new gig is shouting distance from the Schlesinger & Mayer/ Carson Pirie Scott/ soon-to-be Target store, site of the Sullivan galleries, where SAIC BFA candidates are holding their annual show. So I popped over to have a look.]

It’s been a while since I’ve read or heard anyone discussing the baby Art Star phenomenon — i.e. where an artist is plucked directly from a booth at a graduation exhibition and catapulted into [relative] fame and fortune. But it’s still early in the season for the shows, so we’ve still got time.

My guess, though, is that one isn’t going to emerge from the show of work by BFA candidates at the School of the Art Institute that’s up at Sullivan Galleries until next month. Which is not to say there aren’t some pieces that I liked. I’m not sure how the curators allocate space to the artists, but — at least the way I navigated the show, in more or less a counterclockwise fashion — it wasn’t until I got very close to the end that I saw anything which really seemed to suggest a lot of talent.

That is, at least until I found myself at the far northeast corner of the gallery space, where I was confronted with this arresting self portrait by Reisha Perlmutter.

I like the extreme close-up framing of the image and the sophistication of the brushwork. [While I really liked the landscapes on her website, I was a little disappointed with the other portraits she showed there because they just seemed more conventional.

Taylor Telyan identifies herself as a textile designer but the richly textured, lavishly detailed felt piece she’s showing here is definitely my idea of “fine art.”

I similarly like Lorraine Barger’s subtle and sensuous wool and indigo piece.

The cleverest thing I saw was Alexis Rodefer’s “Collected Research on Differentiating Monthly Housing Expenditures in Chicago:State and Madison” The artist has drawn watercolor renderings of several dozen Chicago houses, keyed to various locations on a city map, on each of which is indicated its monthly cost of occupancy.

The concept was interesting, and the execution was admirable — I’m a sucker for mostly anything involving maps, the little watercolors themselves are quite lovely.

and the whole piece is a great installation [although I’m not sure it qualifies as “installation” art].

(I can’t help but think that I’ve seen this idea before — at another SAIC graduate show — but I can’t substantiate.)

Finally, no matter what you think of the work in the show, it’s worth a trip to the 7th floor to look at the Sullivanian terra cotta framing the window reveals.

They are items of great beauty, and it’s great to see them this close, even if they’re not in pristine condition.

GUYS, someone talked and liked and blogged about my BFA piece! YAY. You don’t understand how excited this makes me!

Clam Shell Box for Photo-etchings. 2012 8.5”x 8.5”

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:00:21 -0500

Clam Shell Box for Photo-etchings. 2012

8.5”x 8.5”

Post 1:3 “Collected Research on Differentiated Monthly...

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:17:44 -0500

Post 1:3

“Collected Research on Differentiated Monthly Housing Expenditures in Chicago: State and Madison” Companion Book.

2012, hand bound on Arches Watercolor Cold Press 90lb, 40 pgs

Font is Architects Daughter by Kimberly Geswine in 14 and 30pt.

Part 2:3 “Collected Research on Differentiated Monthly...

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:17:40 -0500

Part 2:3

“Collected Research on Differentiated Monthly Housing Expenditures in Chicago: State and Madison” Companion Book.

2012, hand bound on Arches Watercolor Cold Press 90lb, 40 pgs

Font is Architects Daughter by Kimberly Geswine in 14 and 30pt.

Post 3:3 Just the Binding “Collected Research on...

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:17:30 -0500

Post 3:3

Just the Binding

“Collected Research on Differentiated Monthly Housing Expenditures in Chicago: State and Madison” Companion Book.

2012, hand bound on Arches Watercolor Cold Press 90lb, 40 pgs

Font is Architects Daughter by Kimberly Geswine in 14 and 30pt.

Venice Italy, July 7th 2011, arodefer

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:01:34 -0500

Venice Italy, July 7th 2011, arodefer

Variation of Venice project, 10/21/12

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 13:37:06 -0600

Variation of Venice project, 10/21/12

Beginning sketches for my bfa project, 3/20/11

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 11:30:40 -0600

Beginning sketches for my bfa project, 3/20/11

Small house floorplan, 2/1/13. This is my take of...

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 11:27:00 -0600

Small house floorplan, 2/1/13. This is my take of Tumbleweed’s Whidbey.

Beatrice (BB), 9/3/12

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 11:26:22 -0600

Beatrice (BB), 9/3/12

Canadian cottage, 9/2/12

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 11:25:17 -0600

Canadian cottage, 9/2/12

Bfa sketches, 3/27/11

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 11:23:39 -0600

Bfa sketches, 3/27/11

Copy of Picasso, 3/3/11

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 08:57:18 -0600

Copy of Picasso, 3/3/11

2/18/11 copy if Redon painting done for class

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 08:55:13 -0600

2/18/11 copy if Redon painting done for class

Today’s work in progress, a peregrine falcon.

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:35:31 -0500

Today’s work in progress, a peregrine falcon.

If any of you are in Chicago, come by the School of the art...

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:38:02 -0500

If any of you are in Chicago, come by the School of the art institute’s student art sale at 116 south Michigan ave. I have a bunch of my photo etchings for sale for $5-25. So come by, and say hello. I’m at booth 48.

Work in progress

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:44:21 -0500

Work in progress

Look at this handsome little work in progress

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:36:56 -0500

Look at this handsome little work in progress

Collected Research on Differentiating Monthly Housing Expenditures in Chicago: State and Madison

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 10:26:29 -0500

My work is a watercolor based series of 29 pieces that celebrates the older architecture and investigates the socioeconomic variability along delineating streets of Chicago. Through the use of a nostalgic styling I want to draw in the viewer and glorify the variety of residential buildings in this architecturally diverse city. By giving myself a strict set of rules for choosing which buildings to render and systematically following them, I wanted to mimic an almost scientific research practice. This final product is my collected findings, presented so the viewer can follow my path along State and Madison

2008, collage with magazine clippings and newsprint. 8x10...

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:01:05 -0500

2008, collage with magazine clippings and newsprint. 8x10 inches. A. Rodefer