Currently in Residence

New Works: 09.2
opening July 16, 2009

curated by Kitty Scott
Director, Visual Arts, Walter Phillips Gallery, Banff International Curatorial Institute, The Banff Centre, Canada

Anne Collier - New York, NY
New York-based artist Anne Collier uses appropriation and rephotography to expand on the emotive implications of mass produced images. She presents photographs and illustrations drawn from diverse sources-ranging from posters to art magazines to record albums-often with an emphasis on 1970s popular culture. Although presented in a detached, formal manner, her photographs subtly reference the image's original owner or intent. This exploration of the act of looking focuses on personal connection to imagery, resulting in a highly conceptual, albeit visceral exploration of photography.

Charlie Morris - San Antonio, TX
Local artist Charlie Morris' multi-media approach combines flat color schemes with atypical compositional arrangements, resulting in an ongoing series of work that explores technology and mass media. His installations are marked by reductionism-through the delineation of common objects (such as radios, communication devices, and architecture) Morris allows the viewer to contemplate the impact of these objects on our daily lives. According to the artist, the resulting "abstracted distance" between the sculpture and the viewer engenders an environment in which one is allowed to address myriad issues, including the creation and delivery of media information and the development of military tactics.

Silke Otto-Knapp - London, England
German-born Silke Otto-Knapp's paintings and drawings explore the interplay of rural and urban aesthetics while illuminating her characters' quotidian experience. Inspired by theater sets and botanical gardens, these dreamlike compositions are populated by ghostly figures, shadows, and open-aired amphitheaters. Otto-Knapp's use of the stage, mirrors and multiple figures within the pictorial space is enhanced by her combination of watercolor on canvas and textured washes, creating an apt setting for vaguely supernatural occurrences. The apparent pastoral vistas and burlesque interiors are coupled with a palette reminiscent of distressed photographs enlivened by silver and gold pigments, imbuing Otto-Knapp's work with an unpredictability that is equally disturbing and compelling.