Climbing the long, winding staircase to the third floor, it’s easy to be struck by the austerity of the Overture Center. White and cream, glass and steel, it has more the feel of a memorial than it does a vibrant arts center. Yet as you round the corner to Gallery III, everything changes. Humanity floods in, in colors and shapes, in honesty and reality.
There stands 22-year-old Tasha Tatro, artist and recent UW graduate, smiling as she gets her picture taken. Part of Collectif Momentum’s “Collectively MAD” exhibit, her “Untitled #1” dominates the far wall. It is a series of nudes in confinement, large and emotionally charged. The charcoal and graphite drawings hang side-by-side, marking the transition as photography gives way to abstract painting and digital imagery.
Badger Herald: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Tasha Tatro: I just graduated with a degree in art with an emphasis in graphic design, but my love is metalsmithing. I love all kinds of art. I find the ideas and processes of all mediums to be very meditative to work on. I came to school here to be an engineer (laughs) four years ago. Now I’m graduated with an art degree and … unemployed.
BH: What medium do you find to be your favorite?
TT: Obviously charcoal. I paint sometimes, but I’m really kind of obsessive about detail and I need to have that control. So when I can work with a pencil, piece of charcoal or pastel — anything like that — it’s a lot easier for me.
BH: Have you been a part of other shows in Madison?
TT: In the art department, they have a gallery on the seventh floor. They’re pretty good at supporting students. When you first get into the program, they do your basic core requirement showings — just to get your name out, get feedback on your work. Two years ago, I started my own jewelry-design business, so I do a lot of art fair and gallery showings.
BH: What do you think of the art scene in Madison?
TT: I think that the people in the community are very supportive in the need for, the want for, more art. But it’s very hard to be a student and get your name out. There are not that many places other than coffee shops to show your work. You go to coffee shops and there’s a year waiting list to get in. You get limited space and you can’t work large because there is only so much space on the wall. Now there is a new gallery on University Avenue that has been getting more student work in, which is helpful.
BH: How long have you been with Collectif Momentum?
TT: We just got together about four months ago. When the Overture Center was going up, we heard about this opportunity. Craig Wilson, a member of our group, got an invite to apply for a show and we all got together.
BH: Do you find a common bond or a similar approach in the group?
TT: It’s very diverse and I think that’s our bond — the diversity of the group itself. We have everything from a commercial photographer who does work for newspapers to abstract painting and digital photo manipulation. The age of the group makes a large difference as well. There are two of us just graduating, and then there are people who’ve been in the business for the past 30 years. So that brings a broader range.
BH: How did you come up with the concept for “Untitled #1”?
TT: I’ve always been interested in figurative work. The way the body moves and the abstraction of it is really intriguing. The idea that you can take a part of the body which everybody sees everyday and, by cropping it down or moving it in position, it can become unrecognizable. That’s kind of how it all started out — by taking a figure and putting it into an uncomfortable position. These are more emotional figures. I think that when you look at these drawings, everyone can relate to them. People relate in different ways. Some people might be offended by the fact that they are nude figures. Some people might be interested in why they’re in those positions, what that means, both emotionally and physically.
BH: What would you like to get out of your exhibit at the Overture Center?
TT: Exposure, for one. From just graduating, to a show at the Overture Center, having a chance to get feedback from people who aren’t part of the art community. Also, it’s good to have the experience of showing with people who have different ideas and different aspirations.
BH: You’re leaving to study silversmithing in Ireland soon. Do you plan on returning to Madison at some point?
TT: I love Madison. I’m sure eventually in my life I will be back, but I don’t know when.
Ms. Tatro leaves for Ireland in March. Her “Untitled #1,” along with the rest of the “Collectively MAD” exhibit, shows in Gallery III of the Overture Center until March 26. For more information on exhibit availability, contact the Overture Center at (608) 258-4177.
