Common Ground
Julie Riker & Jeff Bye
August 7 - September 12
On this page: From the Curator’s Desk, Exhibit Images, Artist Statements & Bios for Both Artists
From the Curator’s Desk: Finding Common Ground between Urban and Rural Spaces.
By Abria Donato
My goal in bringing Julie and Jeff together for this show was to create a visual exploration of cityscapes and rural environments that put an emphasis on the commonalities and beauty that can be found in both spaces, even in the decay. I think the word decay was often associated with urban environments in the past, but today we often hear about rust belts in rural areas- places where manufacturing jobs moved overseas, leaving behind the husk of an old way of life. Decay in urban environments is much the same- buildings where manufactures came and went, or outdated schools, hospitals, apartments- all abandoned to move on to newer, bigger spaces. In both environments, these places evoke a variety of feelings- sadness, nostalgia, unease, mystery and awe.
As I installed the work in the gallery, the pieces naturally fell into place. It was easy to find elements from each environment echoed in paintings by both artists. Piles of loose boards, light filtered through gaps or dirty windows, even shapes shared by water towers and farming equipment. I encourage all visitors to the gallery to consider the exhibit as a whole and put on their curator caps to see if they can spot the commonalities between pieces and why they are grouped with each other!
There is a lot dividing the country right now between urban and rural. I won’t pretend an humble exhibit such as this one could heal that divide, but I hope it helps those who view Common Ground to see that we have more in common than different.
Want to learn more about these artists? Click the button below to read their artist statements & bios.
