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The new exhibition at the Mary M. Torggler Fine Arts Center shines light on the use of reflection in art, bringing glitter and glow to the Anne Noland Edwards Gallery.
Reflections: Surface and Substance opens Nov. 2 and runs through Feb. 23. The exhibition is a collection of 41 works of art, each of which interprets reflection through the eyes of artists from around the world. The word reflection and, in turn, the exhibition, are powered by dual meaning: the refraction of light and the intent to enlighten through contemplative thought.
“We set out to explore the theme of reflection in the broadest possible way–from artists creating work from highly polished steel or blown glass to those encrusting surfaces with materials like glitter, crystals, and rhinestones,” said Holly Koons, Torggler Executive Director.
“We also also included works that address the theme of reflection more conceptually, as represented by photography and video works in which the phenomenon of reflection raises questions of identity, intelligibility, and knowledge that are some of the most interesting in contemporary art,” Koons added.
Reflections is an original exhibition curated by Koons and Associate Curator and Exhibitions Manager Lucas Matheson. The idea emerged when Koons and Matheson observed numerous artists working with reflective materials in diverse ways. The theme is reflected in the exhibition through a wide range of media and works on display, including sculpture, painting, mixed-media installation, photography and video.
One of the largest pieces in the exhibition is a hanging chandelier crafted out of crystallized sugar, which illuminates the gallery in a unique play of light.
The artists hail from the United States, China, Jamaica, France, Germany, and are well-established, having been featured in galleries and museums nationally and internationally.
“Many of these artists have works in the most significant collections of contemporary art in the world,” Matheson said.
The pieces on display run the gamut in size and meaning. Some are meant to initiate deep thought and reflection while others generate energy and excitement through sparkle and shine. Everyone will see the art in a different light, so to speak, and draw various emotions and feelings from it.
“The movement and disposition of light is central to art and architecture, whether the arrangement of light and darkness in a painting to guide the viewer’s eye across its surface, or the placement of windows in a building to illuminate and expand space, or even in the fundamental human attraction to shiny things that reflect light,” Matheson said. “Our eyes are incredibly sensitive to the appearance or disappearance of light, which is examined in both literal and figurative ways in this show.”
Reflections continues a theme that has connected recent Torggler exhibitions: art focused on different materials. In 2022, the Torggler presented Flora/Fauna/Fiber and in 2023, The Possibilities of Paper was featured.
Koons is hopeful that Reflections will spark excitement and catch the eyes of people of all ages from near and far. There will be a family-friendly visual scavenger hunt offered, as well as related programming for visitors and CNU students and faculty.
“There is something fundamentally appealing to shiny and reflective surfaces, and this show will be filled with color and light, so on a purely visual level, I think there will be something that everyone can enjoy,” Koons said. “On a deeper level, we hope that this show will be rewarding for those interested in learning more about what is going on in contemporary visual culture. We also think there are lots of opportunities for CNU students and faculty to engage with the content.”
As is the case with all Torggler exhibitions, a visit to Reflections is free and open to all.