THE LAB

The Lab is a dedicated venue for installation, time-based media, sound, and light. It is not afraid to showcase the fruit of visual experimentation, and it does not require a ‘finished product’ or an ‘established artist.’

THANK YOU 2024 EXHIBITION SPONSORS

MID-WEST FAMILY MARKETING & MEDIA, BOULEVARD INN & BISTRO, SILVER BEACH PIZZA, KRUGGEL LAWTON CPA, TABOR HILL WINERY & RESTAURANT, THE JOHN DEVRIES INSURANCE AGENCY, and KZOOM

IN THE LAB: POKING FUN BY JACK LEHTINEN

April 26-July 27

In a digital era where our daily activities are becoming increasingly mediated by screens, Lab Artist Jack Lehtinen wonders how this shift is impacting our physical engagement with the world and each other. 

Inspired by the process of automatic drawing pioneered by surrealists in the 1930s, Lehtinen prompts his computer to generate random lines; a wall-mounted plotter – his own personal drawing robot – executes the lines. He then completes the artwork himself using crayon and other classroom materials that emphasize the crafted, tangible quality of human touch and hint at the relative “youth” of our new technologies. Just as AI-generated images are known (often comically) to distort the human hand, Lehtinen’s artworks exacerbate this distortion, twisting and contorting, creating something that is of the human body but is not human. 

Lehtinen is an MFA graduate student at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

A BEAUTIFUL MESS: WEAVERS & KNOTTERS OF THE VANGUARD

February 01-April 20

From micro artworks the size of your hand to mammoth, room-sized installations, the diverse roster of women artists in A Beautiful Mess: Weavers & Knotters of the Vanguard twist, tie and braid tactile, utilitarian materials to push the boundaries of fiber art and elevate the traditional status of weaving, knotting, and macramé. Mining a lifetime of experiences, the artists explore personal and political ideals and freely break the rules to create works that make a strong cultural and intellectual impact.

While the media and means of production vary tremendously for each artist in A Beautiful Mess, they find commonality in their pursuit to upend the status quo. Their works tell profoundly personal and powerful histories, not only about the artist, but about the traditions and norms we honor and those that need to be addressed and eradicated. The artists confront uncomfortable issues like racism, sexism, patriarchal systems, and climate change. They also reveal the brilliance of the natural world, the richness of tradition, and the power of self-acceptance, all while demonstrating extraordinary technical skill. 

As artist Kira Dominguez Hultgren puts it, “weaving is about strange combinations.” Whether by utilizing non-traditional materials, tapping into personal histories to untangle imperialist and colonial legacies, or using the physical process of making as a means to map emotion, these artists have revolutionized a previously marginalized genre. 

~Emilee Enders, Curator of Exhibitions and Programs, Bedford Gallery

Exhibition Artists: Windy Chien, Kirsten Hassenfeld, Dana Hemenway, Kira Dominguez Hultgren, dani lopez, Hannah Perrine Mode, Liz Robb, Meghan Shimek, Lisa Solomon, Katrina Sánchez Standfield, and Jacqueline Surdell.

A Beautiful Mess: Weavers & Knotters of the Vanguard was organized by Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA.

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Additional links, artist chats, and videos can be found on KAC’s Facebook page by clicking here.

ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES

Interested in exhibiting in The Lab? Any emerging visual artist residing in the United States is welcome to apply. Participants must propose an art installation to fit within a 367-square-foot gallery space by completing our online Exhibition Proposal Form, available by clicking here. Materials will vary and may include time-based media, sound, and light.

Exhibition proposals are reviewed on an ongoing basis and held for 2 years. Due to the quantity received, we will contact you only in the event of an exhibition opportunity. 

Artists and curators are encouraged to review The Lab gallery plan by clicking here to ensure proposals are scaled appropriately.