Meditative Surfaces ~ Fort Wayne Museum of Art

Charles Gniech, Watching Waves, acrylic on canvas, 36" x 60"

This fall, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art will be presenting the three-person exhibition titled "Meditative Surfaces". Meditative Surfaces is a powerfully inspirational exhibition focusing on meditative surface patterns. The exhibition brings together the work of Mixed-media Artist; Deanna Krueger, Photographer; Maggie Meiners and my surface paintings. All of the included work was inspired by our own—very different—individual passions, yet the work comes together to present a united statement of introspection.

I've spent more then a two decades exploring the serene qualities of the prehistoric stone circles that are found throughout Great Britain. Most people are familiar with Stonehenge, yet there are areas concentrated with megalithic structures as far to the north as the Scottish Islands, and as far to the south-and west-as Cornwall. The largest complex of circles is just to the north of Stonehenge, at Avebury.

I am inspired by the patterns found on the massive prehistoric megaliths. I reference and manipulate these patterns to create tranquil imagery. My latest body of work is influenced by the meditative qualities of the fluid surface patterns found on these monuments. I have taken some artistic liberties, in the replication, manipulation and abstraction of the surface patterns found on these massive stone slabs, yet the work continues to convey the serene qualities regularly associated with nature and inner peace.

The two other artists presented in this exhibition are Mixed Media Artist, Deanna Krueger and Fine Art Photographer, Maggie Meiners.
 
Deanna Krueger produces powerful mixed media forms created from recycled medical diagnostic film layered with monotypes. The film is torn, repositioned, and then stapled together to create various multi-faceted surfaces. The semi-reflective surfaces create a mesmerizing, gem-like quality. Krueger’s given titles hint at the conceptual nuances, which imply humanity’s collective search for meaning. Krueger explains:

“I am interested in humanity's collective search for meaning in the absurdity that is this life, and in the pleasure to be found in the various manifestations of that search.”

“…Serving as a marker of this time of transition, the materials speak to the recent evolution of information storage. When virtual documents replace paper, the lowly staple will become an artifact of an earlier information age. Modes of diagnostic imagery are shifting as well: X-Rays and MRI scans are increasingly being recorded solely in the digital realm.”

The large-scale abstract photographs of Maggie Meiners come from her “Childhood Contemplations” series. The mere size of these forty-inch square digital c-prints, allows the viewer to become engulfed by the imagery and to explore their inner mind. The various color patterns are meant to trigger memories on which to contemplate. In defining this body of work, Meiners explains:

“Although the use of blurred imagery seems to defy logic, this intentional shift in focus is meant to transfix and then transport the viewer to a mind space where memories run wild. Various spectrums of color are used as a guide to revisit and explore memories of the past.”

"Meditative Surfaces" will be exhibited at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art from November 13 through January 14th with a panel discussion scheduled for Friday, November 15th. More on that in future posts.
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