Allegheny Art Galleries presented the openings of “Everything will be Okay” by Chair and Associate Professor of Art Ian Thomas and “Space is not Enough” by Trevor King on Feb. 7.
Both Thomas and King are originally from Butler, around 35 miles north of Pittsburgh. They first met in 2009 at Slippery Rock University, where Thomas was a professor and King was a student. In the ensuing years, they’ve worked together on many projects and exhibitions, including “Anthem: Big Sound Big Silence,” which was presented at Texas Tech University in 2014.
The art from Thomas hones in on gun violence in America, specifically its effects on school children and educators.
“My works are ruminations on this dark undercurrent of American culture,” Thomas said, “that both captivates and horrifies in seemingly equal measure.”
“American Dream” was one of the standout pieces from Thomas. The large oil on canvas work takes inspiration from one of the old masters — Rembrandt van Rijn — and one of the most quintessential American artists — Grant Wood. It’s easy to praise the beauty of the work at face value, but the message it’s sending, intertwined with the inspirations, allows the piece to ascend to the upper echelon.
Wood’s art is some of the most recognizable in the American art canon. Gun violence is an unfortunate part of the American experience. Thomas’ work blends the positive and negative connotations of Americana in a way that is satisfying to the eyes while at the same time being a blow to the gut.
Thomas does not stop there. The children depicted in the piece are his own children. He has inserted his own life, his own flesh and blood, into this magnificent work of social commentary.
“As a father and educator,” Thomas said, “I can’t help but be mindful of the gun violence that permeates this country.”
King’s work differs slightly, leaning more towards elements of his own personality.
“The subjects that I work with and the stories that my works tell come from reality,” King said. “Real people, and their aspirational stories, and real moments such as the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.”
These personal pieces of King’s exhibition act as windows into his soul.
One such work, “swimming in the flickering dust floating in the fog that lifts you (LED)” is at first an ominous sign with phrases that seem to do nothing more than send a chill down the spine. The chill that went down my back seemed even more justified after reading King’s description of the work. The idea for the piece came to him following the death of his grandfather in 2016.
“The statement has become a sort of prayer for the dead,” King said, “and a mantra for the living.”
After reading the inspiration behind the piece, I recommend a second visit to it. What at first was a slightly foreboding sign, becomes elevated into a dialogue between a grandson reconnecting with his deceased grandfather. The sentimentality of the piece is endearing.
King’s other works focus on “the invisible tensions that tie people to place and the passage of time.”
“The Enormous Room” by King was, at first, a calm, looping video depicting life during lockdown. The video and its increasingly harrowing blend of silence and news radio continue on loop. As it goes on, the piece becomes more and more unsettling. I recommend watching the video multiple times until an uneasy feeling has been built up inside.
Allowing the silence to engross you, only to be washed away by the radio spreading messages about coronavirus, transports you back to the pandemic. This myriad of emotions and memories will overtake you, and then, with a ring, it’s all over, and the loop continues. I realize how unpleasant this sounds, but I recommend it. The uncertainty and uncomfortability the video loop can slowly stir inside of you is impressive. It is a perfect snapshot of a time that most would rather forget.
The exhibits may differ in the topics they explore, but both are worth the adventure. I cannot recommend enough visiting Doane Hall and taking in some of these fine works. I think the exhibits are working in tandem. The heavy subject matter that Thomas’ work engages with is something that needs to be discussed. I understand that dwelling on gun violence can be detrimental to one’s health. This is where I find King’s work to be a great escape. If you find yourself needing to, his work allows you to venture into his mind and all it encompasses — the nostalgia of his youth, his artist interests and aspirations and experiments with sound. The ability to move between the two artists allows you to get lost in the artwork, bouncing between the exhibits, taking each in piece by piece.
The exhibitions are running in the gallery until March 1.
