Lisa Urban
[artist]
Lollipops and Gumdrops
The Riddle Gallery, Bryan, TX
September 2016
The idea of a site specific mural has been floating around in my head for a few years now, having seen similar examples of this idea at various art shows I have attended. Painting on a wall an image that is a part of the entire exhibition, with full knowledge that it will get painted over at the show's close is something that has fascinated and haunted me. When I found out I would be getting a full month solo-exhibition, I knew that the mural was something I needed to do.
Lollipops and Gumdrops is the result of these ideas,meant to leave the viewer feeling like they are encompassed by the worlds I create on canvas, finally able to go deeper into my head. Utilizing a larger space than a traditional canvas would allow, the brush strokes are large and loose, flowing much more free than they ever have before. The color palette is also limited, forcing my brain to make more thoughtful decisions in terms of brush placement. The final result is something I believe to be successful in both recreating my art on a large scale and adventuring into new territories as an installation artist.
The Riddle Gallery itself is a very narrow space, almsot like a long hallway. As such it has two primary walls, one of which lent itself perfectly to my mural installation. However, because the space is so narrow, photographing this project became a bit of challenge: there was never a good angle to get a straight on view.
The white balls came in as an added additon to help create a fun and encompassing space. Hanging from the ceiling and dropped upon the floor, they begin bring the painting beyond the wall and give viewers something to interact with.