Nikki Pynn's sculptural stained glass artworks are kinetic. Most think of stained glass as fragile, meant to be viewed and admired from a distance. But Nikki decided she didn't want her work to be just viewed. She wanted people to approach her work and then when the instinct to touch the beautiful, playful pieces kicked in, Nikki wanted patrons to fulfill that desire, mostly by spinning the wheel that contained the glass.
Perhaps a curator's nightmare, having people touch artwork made of glass, but also a curator's greatest hope; which is to help people connect to art on a personal level. Sometimes looking or reading about art doesn't advance the viewer's understanding of the deeper meaning of it. It seems that adding one more sensory aspect to an art viewing experience takes patrons out of the esoteric and into the real.
This is the first exhibit we have specifically asked patrons to interact with the art by touching it. It has been uplifting to watch patron surprise and delight as they interact (gently of course) with the pieces in the show.
Nikki Pynn studied art at Virginia Commonwealth University where she learned traditional stained glass methods. She now practices art in the New River Valley of Virginia, where she creates community based art and her wildly imaginative stained glass sculptures.
The exhibit runs through August 9, 2019.
Gallery Hours through August 3
Monday - Friday: 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturday: 12 - 5 p.m.
August 6, 7, 8 and 9
Gallery Hours
Tuesday - Friday
12 - 6 p.m.
No comments:
Post a Comment