Exhibition Dates: May 25 – September 10th, 2019

About Borman’s Work:
The text-based video, Storms Are Part of Life at Sea, addresses the challenges I faced and the coping skills I developed while growing up with a parent who suffered from an untreated mental illness. The work correlates the symptoms of borderline personality disorder with advice on how to survive a storm at sea. Imagery of lightning over shifting seas link these two separate lists of information. As the piece progresses the distinction between to two sets of texts breaks down and eventually they are read as one set of instructions.  Enclosed in a small wooden box, the video is shown as a rear-projection from a hidden mini-projector onto vellum. Viewers peer into the box opening one at a time.  This presentation allows for an intimate experience of the work and emphasizes its deeply personal nature.  See more of Melissa’s work on her website Melissa Borman

Installation view of Storms Are Part of Life at Sea

Video still from Storms Are Part of Life at Sea

Event Date: Friday, May 31, 7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.
MCAD Gallery

For one thrilling evening, party with fellow art lovers and collectors. Bid, buy, and collect to help make the dreams of tomorrow’s leading artists, designers, and entrepreneurs come true. The Auction at MCAD is a unique mix of provocative creativity and unbridled enthusiasm that can only happen at an art school. Proceeds benefit the Minneapolis College of Art and Design Scholarship Fund.  More Information on the event at MCAD Auction

Artwork by Costello, Estlund and Malcolm Scott available at the auction:

Tara Costello, Ray, Venetian plaster

Shannon Estlund, Grasses, oil

David Malcolm Scott, After the Burn-Plum Dew Drop Hotel, watercolor

Reception: Saturday, June 8th, 7:00-10:00 pm
Exhibition Dates: June 8 – June 30, 2019
Gallery Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, 12noon-4:00 pm

The paired solo shows by Areca Roe and Rebecca Krinke offer two ways of seeing, studying, and knowing. Areca explores the precarious state of the earth’s health in her photographs of the changing climate in Alaska, and Rebecca’s work springs from investigating the inner landscape of learning and making from dreams, the subconscious, and intuition.

Areca Roe presents Drunken Forest, a new body of photographs and video. Areca photographed around Fairbanks, Alaska, where discontinuous permafrost has long been part of the landscape, but the rising temperatures are shifting and changing the land. Sinkholes are appearing in the landscape, and the shifting ground is altering areas of forests to become tilted or “drunken,” and some houses that rely on permafrost as a stabilizing factor are slumping.

Roe spoke with several scientists researching the permafrost to locate sites to photograph, to capture the visual manifestations of the changing landscape. The resulting series is titled Drunken Forest, the evocative term used even in the scientific literature for the areas of forest destabilized by permafrost thaw. These visual changes serve as powerful metaphors/warnings for the far-reaching and destabilizing consequences of permafrost thaw, and climate change in general.
Visit her website at Areca Roe.com

Areca Roe, Drunken Forest Beta bog site, photography

Rebecca Krinke presents a new installation: Down Below, a psychological space of wonder and terror that continues her series of bed sculptures and the rooms that begin to take shape around them. In Down Below, a tangled mass of black feathered canopy charges the space below with the feeling of a storm on the way. As visitors gaze down into the mirrored pool, they will see things only visible in reflection. Stacks of her black bound notebooks again appear in this installation, evoking memories, secrets, writing, and deciphering. This work goes deeper into the dream that started her work as an artist and incorporates insights from a recent dream. For the first time, Rebecca is introducing sound into one of her installations – in collaboration with sound artist David Hedding.

Down Below asserts that our lives are powered by mystery and informed by our subconscious, our intuition, and our dreams.  It asks questions into what we can see, what we can say, what we can discover, what we hold on to, the costs of holding on, and the power of transformation. Rebecca owes a thank you to artist Leonora Carrington, who in 1944, wrote a moving memoir titled Down Below. Visit her website at Rebecca Krinke.com

Down Below, installation, Rebecca Krinke

Areca Roe is a fiscal year 2019 recipient of an Artist Initiative grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Event Date: Friday, May 6th,  6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: Canopy Minneapolis Mill District
More Information at Facebook I AM Kindness

Tara Costello “Color Harmony”, Venetian plaster on panel

Terrence Payne, “If Only I Could Say It”

Opening Reception: Thursday, April 11, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Curators’ Talk: April 27, 10 – 11:30 AM
Exhibition Dates: April 12 – May 9, 2019

Tara Costello, Undertow, Venetian plaster, 15″ x 36″

Shawn McNulty, Station, acrylic, pumice on canvas, 30″ x 30”

Tumnus, the bearded dragon from the Housebroken series

I had been to Austin several years back for an exhibition with Rosalux alumnus Jennifer Davis for an exhibition we shared at the Gray Duck Gallery.  It was an awesome trip and an amazingly  fun show.  The artists and audience I met at that time were very welcoming, enthusiastic about the work and proud of their town.  I got the chance to hang out with a lot of local artists at that time and it seemed like there was an energy forming with a scene in the East Austin area and a young audience that was excited to partake in the new galleries and spaces emerging in the city.  A couple of years after that I got really excited to learn that another Rosalux alumnus, Jonas Criscoe, had decided to form a collective in Austin after his recent move there and we immediately started a conversation about working together in some way in the future.  The result of these talks came to be Driving South In A Mostly Straight Line, hosted by Icosa and curated by Andrea Mellard ongoing through the month of March, and then Cardinal Kindreds, hosted by Rosalux and Curated by Teréz Iacovino which will be exhibiting this coming May.

Icosa is located in a group of former industrial buildings joined together by an open air courtyard called Canopy.  Their neighbors include other galleries, design businesses, a smart and hip cafe along with working artist studios.  We were really impressed by the open and inviting storefronts and the communal feel the courtyard lent to the whole enterprise, there were people milling about, hanging out and checking in on each other which made the community feel alive and vital in the best ways.  Icosa itself is right in the middle of the action across the courtyard from the cafe.  It is a 1200 square foot open space with high ceilings with a glass front and oversized wooden door welcoming visitors into the gallery.  The members of Icosa (Leon Alesi, Amy Bench, Darcie Book, Carlos Carrillo/Yevgenia Davidoff, Jonas Criscoe, Kate Csillagi, Erin Cunnigham, Bug Davidson, Rachelle Diaz, Terra Goolsby, Sarah Hirneisen, Mark Johnson, Dameon Lester, Amanda Linn McInerney, Matt Rebholz, Tammie Rubin, Lana Waldrep-Appl, Alyssa Taylor Wendt and Jenn Wilson) have done an amazing job creating a gallery full of warmth offering a clean slate to it’s artists to use to present their work to what would prove to be an eager audience.

Icosa from the courtyard

Needless to say, I was really excited to see how things had changed since my last visit to Austin and see all that they had done with Icosa.  My wife Carolyn and I arrived the day before the opening reception and headed straight over to the gallery to meet up with Jonas at the space and then have a little bit of lunch and chat about his experiences leading this group of artists and the burgeoning lore of Icosa. On the drive to the gallery through the East Austin neighborhood we were struck by how much the neoghborhood had changed.  There was new construction all over with condos, restaurants, beer gardens, and other small businesses everywhere you looked. We arrived shortly at Icosa, right on the edge of all the new developement.

Jonas met us at the gallery and gave us a quick tour of the space.  The main exhibition was bright and open and the installation of the show looked clean and professional. There was a reception area in the back that doubled as the bar for their opening events as well as a small retail area where members sold smaller items to cover the costs of being a part of the gallery.  After the tour we headed across the courtyard  to Sa-Ten for a bite and to catch up.

Icosa director and founding member, Jonas Criscoe tidies up

Jonas told us the history of the group, they started up in 2015 and had initially begun their work at a space in the Pump  Project building where they spent several years before being forced to relocate because of the sale of that building.  They reorganized their lineup a bit due to the change and brought in some new members to the collective when they settled into their current home at Canopy.  I was reminded of some of the ups and downs that we had in the early years at Rosalux but was happy to hear that they had not been deterred by any early setback.  There were a lot of parallels in our stories to be sure, but the one thing that stood out to me to be the most promising was when Jonas began to describe the community of artists that had begun to grow out of the group in the short time they have been together.  Much like Rosalux, the most important thing at Icosa turned out to be the people involved in their community and that has proven to be their biggest strength.

The crowds begin to gather for the Canopy event

The next evening we met up with Rosalux regulars Ben Brown and his wife Melissa who had also made the trip to check out the opening reception.  Jonas had told us that it would be pretty busy as it was going to be an Open Canopy night, which is a community wide event featuring openings at the other galleries and open studios so we were anticipating a little bit of a crowd.  What we found when we arrived went beyond our expectations, every space was crowded with people who were definitely making this a night out!  The audiences were spilling in and out of every space and socializing and mingling in the courtyards outside, I hadn’t really understood what Jonas had described to us earlier, but it became apparent that there was definitely a scene here now and Icosa is a big part of it.

Icosa in full swing

We made our way to the gallery to see the Rosalux show at Icosa and were warmly greeted by Jonas and the other artists at the collective.  It was great fun to talk with them all about Icosa and they were understandably proud of all that they have accomplished with the gallery.   Everyone we met apologized for the cool weather and we responded with the fact that it was still 50 degrees warmer than what we came from and this became our small talk joke for the night leading into conversations about the show, Rosalux, and the greater art community spurred on by the relaxed and neighborly atmosphere of the Canopy event.

Carolyn making sure everything is on the level

That’s ok, we didn’t want to look at the art anyway

Space Donut!

We then ventured out and took in the shows at the other spaces seeing some pretty cool stuff along the way.  We saw contemporary Latino art at Big Medium next door, an airstream trailer full of 90’s themed feminism, many artist studios, a person dressed like a glam space donut playing synthesized monotone drones,  some pretty cool jewelry and lots and lots of people.  After the show we headed out a bar to hang out with the artists of Icosa and got to know them a little better.  We had a lot of fun exchanging stories and experiences we have had in our respective careers and with our own collectives and found that we shared many of the same trials and aspirations in addition to the beer and bourbon we were already sharing.  The overall impression I left with for the night was the enthusiasm and warmth that has grown up around this strong art community.  We are so thankful for the opportunity to be a part of it for even a short while and eagerly await the arrival of our new friends coming to us this May at Rosalux for Cardinal Kindreds!

Rosalux artist Shawn McNulty  has a few questions for Dr. Joshua Roth, one of his most enthusiastic collectors as part of our continuing series of collector interviews in this warm exchange.  Shawn has sold many of his works online over the years and thought it would be cool to connect with one of his online fans and find out more about his collecting habits and the art that he is drawn to. Dr. Roth shares how he began collecting and what the art means to himself and his young family in their Seattle home.

What is the first work of art that you bought? Were you thinking about it terms of a
home furnishing or more as an object that you were drawn to?

The first work of art I recall buying was from a painter named Ha in Hoi An, Vietnam back in
2002. I was on a term abroad there during my undergraduate studies and was really
impressed by the influence of the French impressionists on many contemporary Vietnamese
artists. I chose this particular piece as a home furnishing and also based on the general
design aesthetic.

Ha Painting 2002

What is it that spurred you into making the purchase? Did this immediately lead to the
beginning of your collection or did that happen over a longer period of time?

I was spurred to buy this piece because I like abstract art, I like bright colors to activate living
spaces, and I wanted to support the local artists who were struggling to make a living in
those times before tourism in Vietnam was more popular.
This purchase did get me thinking about being an art collector, but as a poor undergraduate
student I didn’t have much expendable income to support that habit (at least outside of
Vietnam). This particular piece only set me back a few U.S. dollars… I got much more into
buying art years later after I completed my PhD studies, started my career as a cancer
researcher, and had a bit more cash and wall space to dedicate to art.

Do you have a particular theme that you think about when buying art?

The common thread in my art collection is abstract pieces, bold colors (often bright reds
and/or blues), and things that evoke a sense of happiness when I look at it. I’m very inspired
by Mark Rothko and Hans Hoffman paintings, design from Charles & Ray Eames as well as
Paul Smith, and Bauhaus design principles. I think these inspirations come through in many
of my art pieces.

Jesus Perea 2016

How often do you go out to view art?

Once every month or two—usually when I’m traveling for work. I like to make sure I have
reserve time for extracurricular activities when I’m at conferences presenting my scientific
research. Favorites include MOMA in New York, The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago,
Musée d'Orsay in Paris, and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. I also go to my hometown
Seattle Art Museum 2-3 times a year with my 18-month-old son Lucas. I’m hoping to get him
into art as well.

What are the favorite pieces in your collection?

Shawn McNulty’s Carnival is probably my favorite piece in my home. I love how it is so bright
and attention grabbing, and it brings a lot of life to my home as it is a centerpiece in my living
room. Additionally, my wife and I display several photographs from our wedding and our travels, and those have a lot of sentimental value to me. I’m attaching a one example I really
like of a photo of a piece of the Berlin wall printed on canvas.

The Roth Family with Carnival by Shawn McNulty

How important is it for you to meet the artist behind the artwork?

I like to know about artists’ backgrounds and inspirations, but I haven’t met most of the
artists who created the works in my home. This is mostly due to me buying many of my
pieces online—I would definitely like to meet more of the artists.

Vancouver Island Carving 2018

What do you enjoy the most: The hunt associated with collecting art or the joy of
ownership?

I’m definitely most drawn by the joy of owning art pieces (vs. thrill of the ‘hunt’). They
become a part of my home and bring my family happiness on a daily basis.
I indulge in the ‘hunt’ aspect of collecting more in my beer collecting…Many of favorite
breweries release very limited beers on a daily or weekly basis, so there is more a need to
search, track, and rapidly buy.

Bottle Collection With Stadium by McNulty

Do you collect anything else besides art?

Yes, I also have a large collection of beer—mostly barrel aged stouts and sours that can be
cellared for up to a decade. I’m a mediocre homebrewer and it makes me really appreciate
the very creative and high quality stuff being produced by many U.S. craft brewers these
days. I view that high-level brewing as an art too, and I like to try all of the new cutting-edge
stuff to see how brewers are pushing the boundaries of many styles. Speaking of which, I’d
be very happy if anyone has a hook-up for Forager Brewery in your neck of the woods…I
have been chasing their beers ‘Nillerzzzzz’ and ‘Magnus’ for a while with no luck to date…

Describe your art collection in three words.

Bright. Abstract. Creative.

Ur Gear: Dentata  by Alyssa Taylor Wendt

About the Exhibition

Cardinal Kindreds is the second phase of an art exchange between the Austin based collective ICOSA and Rosalux—Minneapolis’ longest running collective gallery. Formed in 2015, ICOSA is home to 20 nationally and internationally recognized artists who collectively program and support a 1,500 square foot exhibition space in East Austin’s blossoming arts hub. Selected by Teréz Iacovino, the exhibition welcomes ICOSA to Minneapolis and showcases the collective’s diverse studio practices including animation, video, photography, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, installation, and a variety of multimodal approaches. While in cardinal opposition to each other, these kindred collectives share a commitment to fellowship, artistic rigor, and engagement with their local arts community. Both ICOSA and Rosalux remind us of the power of collective action to create and sustain platforms for artists to flourish in their own backyards and beyond.

Polycarbon Breakdown by Jonas Criscoe

About the Curator

Teréz Iacovino is a visual artist and curator with over a decade of experience working within academia and artist run spaces. She is the Assistant Curator at the University of Minnesota’s Katherine E. Nash Gallery in Minneapolis. Iacovino’s dual perspective as an artist and curator has guided her towards a mission to cultivate empathy for, give voice to, and build platforms with artists. Over the years she has worked with a myriad of local, national, and international artists and organizations including the Estate of Ana Mendieta and Galerie Lelong, the World of Matter Collective, and Women’s Studio Workshop. Recent curatorial projects include Sentinels [ii]: Subvert at SNAG Gallery in Seattle, WA and Sentinels [i]: Infiltrate at Lump in Raleigh, NC, both co-curated at alternative art spaces with Ian Breidenbach of Neon Heater. Iacovino holds an MFA in Studio Art from the University of Minnesota with a studio practice in sculpture, printmaking, and installation.

More by Tammie Rubin

Cardinal Kindreds celebrates the independent spirits shared by our organizations and will feature stunning work from Icosa artists: Amy Bench, Bug Davidson, Amanda McInery, Matt Rebholtz, Darcie Book, Alyssa Taylor Wendt, Dameon Lester, Shawn Camp, Mark Johnson, Carlos Carrillo & Yevgenia Davidoff, Jonas Criscoe, Lana Waldrep-Appl, Rachelle Diaz, Jenn Wilson, Sarah Hirneisen, Tammie Rubin, Erin Cunningham, Terra Goolsby, Kate Csillagi and Leon Alesi.  Cardinal Kindreds will be on view from May 4th through the 26th with an artist reception on Friday, May 10th from 7-10 PM.

Reception: Saturday, April 6th, 7:00-10:00 pm
Exhibition Dates: April 6th-28th, 2019
Gallery Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, 12noon-4:00 pm

Elixir is the first time these longtime non-objective painters have shown together, and it’s a fantastic pairing of two artists who approach painting with a rich diversity of technique and approach. Both artists have a process that involves working the canvas with a combination of geometric and organic gestures in a state of experimentation where the next move could be failure or completion, much like how alchemists create the perfect elixir. There is a method of trial and error that eventually leads to a solution.

Aviator by Duane Ditty – 2018 Oil on canvas 64″ x 54”.

Duane Ditty says of his work, “My paintings are contemplative in nature. I see painting as a very physical act, and I often work on a human scale. My paintings are a direct example of the artists’ process and contain within them the record of their realization and implementation. The non-specific structural space of these paintings distances them from the noise of the outside world and allows for a contemplative respite. The works invite the viewer to relate on an intuitive and spontaneous level; without irony or jest they manifest a gravity and beauty often absent in our daily visual lives.” Visit his website at duaneditty.com

Nautilus by Shawn McNulty – 2018 Acrylic, pumice on canvas 40″ x 40”.

Shawn McNulty’s paintings explore the relationship between man-made structures and the natural world and the idea of recognizable shapes and structures living within irrational thoughts and emotions. The artist applies many layers of acrylic and pumice to the canvas using unorthodox methods such as a shoe palette knife (with his foot), knives, brooms, and almost anything that is not a brush. McNulty, now a mid-career artist, has moved away from his signature style geometric abstractions into an arena of organic forms and complex compositions. The heavily textured work in Elixir incorporates his vibrant color palette. Some paintings, like Nautilus, bring to mind exotic sea creatures living amongst colorful coral while others have his signature geometric forms and horizontal division of space. There are two pieces, Cosgrove and Midway, that he completed at the 2018 Minnesota State Fair as an all day demo in the Fine Arts Building. The artist avoids the common zone out of many abstract painters for a refreshing battered mediation that doesn’t let you relax completely. Visit his website at shawnmcnulty.com