APGINPNERR’S GUIDOACE THOA INSBTALLATIONLE ART: ART A BE DIVING INTO INSTALLATION ART AS AN ARTISTIC MEDIUM AND THOUGHTS FROM MEOW WOLF ARTISTS ON HOW TO GET STARTED INTERVIEW BY AMANDA SIROSKEY Let’s say you’ve just walked through one of the many worlds of Meow Wolf. Or maybe you saw some sick pictures of one of the rooms and you start to feel inspired, and think of the work that was put into such epic displays of creativity. Maybe you wonder, How could I possibly get started on something like that? Many people (myself included) get that itch to create, but might not know how to begin. That’s why we’re looking at approachable art: painting, video design, sculpture, drawing, and our fi rst topic in this series — installation art. Arguably our biggest artistic medium within our exhibits, we’re answering questions like, “What is it?” or “Where does someone begin with this?” We’ll cover the basics before checking out a few Meow Wolf artists’ perspectives on their journeys into installation work. A MINI INSTALLATION ART (NOT BOOK) REPORT: Installation art is immersive, perspective-changing, sensory-engaging and transformative (lots of adjectives, I know, but they’re all true!). The term “installation art” came about in the 60s and 70s, and was infl uenced by multiple artistic roots, like theatrical performance and conceptual art. This genre often challenges viewers to think beyond what they see and to discover the underlying message(s) the artists are expressing. These messages could range from social commentary to philosophical conundrums to cultural shifts in perspectives. This art form crosses the boundaries between multiple disciplines like painting, sculpture, architecture, video, lighting and more, depending on the type of installation art. Types of installation art vary, however many intersect with each other in practice. A few specifi c types include: Environmental, Interactive, Immersive/Multimedia, and Site-Specifi c. Environmental installationart focuses on nature and its relationship with the art, whether it’s recycled materials or natural elements integrated in the piece. Interactive installations allow viewers to interact with the space through touch and engage in the art itself. Immersive and Multimedia installations are very similar in their utilization of full-sensory experiences to transport the viewer into the created world. Site-Specifi c art focuses on the location itself in which the art is curated, and can spur commentary on the importance of that location and the statement made with the resulting piece. Of course, these are just a few of the main categories of installation art, but there are plenty more in the world(s). All of these types lend themselves to a DIY-attitude in creating them, which happens to be right up Meow Wolf’s alley. Speaking of our own immersive spaces, we talked to a few of our installation superstar artists about how to get started with a medium like this, and to share their stories: LAURA DAVIDSON What do you do at Meow Wolf? My title is Manager of the Art Team Task Force. I support our Meow Wolf artists who create at our studio in Santa Fe year-round while they are onsite installing a new exhibition alongside construction. We primarily work in spaces creating art that is site-specifi c, and not planned prior to arriving in the space — tying the parts of the exhibit together. Occasionally in my role, I get to jump in on art-making for our exhibits, usually using bits of material that were left over from other art-making. In The Real Unreal, I created a chain of snake hangers from fabric left from foliage we created for the forest and stuff ed them with wool leftover from Morgan Grasham’s The Greeter sculpture. How did you get started in installation art and how have you grown in that medium? When I was in college, I started gathering decaying found objects from sheds in the alleyways of the town. Many of them were time capsules of objects that people had kept in the 50s through the 70s and left behind when they moved. I knew Matt King as my summer camp counselor growing up, and had been following the work of his art collective, watching how they transformed found objects into collaborative art installations. (Some of you may be familiar with this collective as Meow Wolf.) One of my fi rst shows was at a former gas station in Denison, TX with Ghost Town Arts Collective in 2010. I built stairs that walked through the drink fridge door into a collection of objects excavated from alley sheds. These days in my personal art practice, I cast objects from paper waste and native plant seeds to create impermanent outdoor installations. I’m always looking for opportunities to build more colorful immersive spaces with soft sculptures created from textile waste and handmade recycled paper. Do you have any advice for anyone starting out with installation art? So much of what I love about installation is the ability to play with modular pieces. Let go of any perfectionism and arrange objects that you have created or found, knowing this arrangement is impermanent. If you don’t like it, try again until you do! If your art could talk, what would it say? “Thanks for pulling me out of the trash, Laura!” LANCE RYAN MCGOLDRICK What do you do at Meow Wolf? My job title is Senior Artist. I have been with the company since 2015, making everything from large-scale kaleidoscopes and found object sculptures to hammer-spheres and Ratterblades. How did you get started in installation art and how have you grown in that medium? In 2010, I moved into an art studio at the Factory on 5th in Albuquerque. I was screen printing and illustrating at the time, when I met David Cudney (fellow MW Artist) who was then managing the gallery and studios. He CARMEN'S CLOSET BY LAURA DAVIDSON AT THE REAL UNREAL. PHOTO BY KATE RUSSELL CRYSTAL CLOUD CAVE BY LANCE RYAN MCGOLDRICK AT THE REAL UNREAL. PHOTO BY PAUL TORRES CRYSTAL GROTTO BY SOFIA HOWARD AT HOUSE OF ETERNAL RETURN. PHOTO BY ATLAS MEDIA
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