Justin Eccles’ and Jason Karetz’s exhibitions, current featured at the University of Wisconsin Art Department, want to show UW students the importance of diversity and make statements of today’s political culture.
The collection is the first set of works in the progression of the gallery currently featured at the University of Wisconsin Art Department. Immediately, onlookers will notice the bright colors and fluidity of lines within Eccles’ works.
Eccles explains in his foreword that each painting is a “reflection of personal changeover” from his time spent living in Turkey. He finds himself compelled by the condition of foreigners and refugees and their struggles with misunderstandings and the unknown.
“I create art from the context of living as a guest for over a decade in a nonnative place,” Eccles writes.
He continues his foreword with more context for “Changeover” and how it relates to current politics. He states with each piece he is arguing for the embracement of diversity and those who are different from us.
His works, depicting different figures, shapes and color patterns, allow for the onlooker to make their own interpretations of Eccles’ art given the context he provides. To guide interpretations, he labels each piece with a simple one word title. Some titles include, “embarrassment,” “desperate” and “masked.”
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The collection from Eccles is both poignant and beautiful, while uniquely displaying emotion.
Continuing through the gallery guests will notice a patch of green grass on the ground with a small sign reading, “Please Stay Off The Grass.” Save yourself the embarrassment and don’t mistake this as a request, as it is actually just a clever way to display the name of his collection.
Also provided with a foreword, Jason Karetz created a comic book to supplement his artworks.
In the foreword, Karetz explains his current artistic approach is holistic by “mixing glass blowing, printmaking, drawing, and comics together.”
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And he certainly delivers on that promise. Each piece tells its own story with unique elements, all embracing perspective both physically and mentally.
Karetz challenges the current political climate in America with a piece titled “An Apparatus To Allow Us To Speak Freely In Trump’s America.” Making a statement with not only his artwork but their titles as well, Karetz encourages onlookers to asses their own perspective of American culture.
“I watched the presidential debates at night and thought about the images in the collection and America’s current culture,” Karetz writes in his foreword.
Physically, each piece invites a multidimensional perspective of viewing. Karetz’s art plays with shadows and the contours of glass to give each piece a unique depth.
Together, these two collections invite guests to assess culture, politics and the world with the help of beautiful displays of talent.
