Untitled

I went to the MOA today to check out some of the art down below. I saw the Walter Wick exhibit and strolled by the "American Dreams" room, and found some time to look at some 'Untitled' art by Dan Steinhilber. It was great, i liked it. The piece that really caught me and dragged me in to the exhibit was composed of melted black and white trash bags onto a surface, with the blue tie string present throughout. It was creative bordering on cliché, but also very expressive.

I think the best part came as I was entering the MOA. I have been growing quite self-conscience of my should bag, due to recent persecution. The man at the desk didn't help. I walked up and put my bag on the desk and said, "Where do I check this in, I know bags aren't allowed in here", to which he replied, "Oh, it's OK, bags aren't allow but purses are. Go on in". The worst part was that he wasn't even trying to joke around. He was serious.

Here are some works from the exhibit:

-Untitled by Dan Steinhilber

This entire thing is made of Duck Sauce packets. I don't know if you can see it in this picture, but somehow he generated the effect of waves along the canvas. Each packet had a black dot (for packaging reasons) in one corner, and he aligned those appropriately to give the piece texture. It is displayed on a black wall with one dominant light shining down onto the center of the frame. I guess lighting is key here, because it gives it a new texture that the packets themselves can't produce. You might ask how the context of the piece matches its form? Don't ask me.

-Untitled by Dan Steinhilber

All of his pieces are untitled. I found that appropriate. He didn't really create anything he displayed, he only just manipulated to express it. He didn't invent the plastic chair, but he turns our attention away from context, and asks us to simply contemplate its form. This here consists of 2 stacks of chairs piled upside-down on top of each other. Makes me think of Tetris®, kindof. If you completely disregard the fact that you are staring at 2 stacks of piled chairs, then the piece is actually very aestetically pleasing.

The exhibit brought once again the question to my mind, what is art? And if all those things are art, then we live and associate with art more often than we realize. Every time we pick up a trash bag to shake it out, every time we make our bed, or turn on a light, or even when we open and administer Taco Bell Mild Sauce® over our Chicken Quesadilla, we are creating a little piece of art that has never been produced in quite that way. Although it won't make it to the MOA exhibit, it will keep life a little more vibrant. Keep making art the best way you know how.