Contemporary Focus at the KMA, opening this evening 6-9pm

On Tuesday, I met with Brian Jobe at the Knoxville Museum of Art to take a sneak peek at the Contemporary Focus exhibition, opening this evening. He along with John Bissonette and Greg Pond are the featured artists for this annual show at the KMA which runs from August 26 through November 6, 2011. Here is an article about it in the News Sentinel.






















^ I've known Brian for quite some time, and therefore know his work quite well. The piece he made for this show is similar to his work from the past, as it is incredibly ambitious, but different as it incorporates a large built structure. Not only is it something to behold, but also invites the viewer to pass through it, to let the materials brush against your skin.



^ I was excited to hear John Bissonette is in this show. The last time I saw his work was at the Downtown Gallery on Gay Street for First Friday a few months ago. Being a painter myself, I really admire his work. He merges abstract and representational subject matter, layering transparent colorful paint, and typically leaving blank spaces on the canvas. One called Untitled (Jackson) made me catch my breath a little bit. In this show, he includes an installation, closely tied to the paintings he's made.



^ Greg Pond's work is sculptural, using welded metals, polished wood, and other shiny materials. Brian told me he is a sculptor who also works in sound art. I could see how this particular work might be inspired by sound or music, by the forms he uses, the spaces he creates, and the different delicate materials working together to hold each other up.

Hope you can stop in this evening.

Contemporary Focus
August 26- November 6, 2011
KMA
1050 World's Fair Park
Knoxville, TN 37916-1653