THE DAPHNE, OR METAMORPHOSIS PROJECT
The last group show at Gallery 414 in Wichita, Kansas concerned itself with metamorphosis. I offered up to myself and the other artists an essay-bibliography-poem by Norman O. Brown titled Daphne, or Metamorphosis. This wonderful meandering image-ontology of myth and imagination offers a sapling from which we may grow or revive artworks to put in this show, even without much time to do so. But we artists cannot rest on our laurels, and any excuse to produce must be induced as much as possible, and that is what I aim to do here with these shows. Metamorphosis is a constant in art, and symbol making in general, and some of our cultural roots in trying to understand this transformation of meaning and image go back to the ancient Greeks, and the story of Apollo and Daphne. Brown’s writing is a modern way of approaching that without telling the artist exactly what they should do, and for the artist to do what they do, without telling the audience exactly what they should think or perceive from a piece.
Here is a sample of Brown’s writing, as allowed online from the publisher:click for METAMORPHOSIS
It is just one kind of stretch that artist’s make, to use ancient cultural mythologies in order to create transformational imagery. It is a cogent one, though, since it is retroactive to the evolution of human symbol-making to draw upon myths. Myths were carved to be justifiable to the elders, but these days we are a little more free to do whatever we want with symbolism, image, substance, and meaning. We have more symbols to play with(Daphne could turn into a refrigerator, instead of a Laurel tree,) or she could run for President. So don’t feel encumbered by Mythology with a capitol M. Let’s just put on another good show for the art walk, the last ones have been so good, and its been so much fun. And if you’ve got some cash, buy some of the artwork in this show for your home to experience a metamorphosis all your own.
Email kenboe@gmail.com for more information.
Where: Gallery 414 (in the Wichita Art District, at Commerce and Waterman)
414 S. Commerce, Wichita, KS
When: May 25th, 2007 from 6pm to 11pm, rain or sun and moon.
ARTIST WEBSITES:
Other artist’s include Tim Steinlage, and Matthew Alber, from Lawrence; Art Kenyon, Rick Dunway, and Bradley Sims from Wichita.
Special Thanks to Chris Stong