By Brandon Mennenoh
When you think of visual art, you might imagine canvases smeared with watercolors, pastels or charcoal. But in “Extended Play,” now on exhibit in the Mills Gallery at Central College, artist Shaila Christofferson uses present-day construction materials to make the viewers see the objects in the new way.
Christofferson is an associate professor of art at Chicago State University, where she teaches sculpture. “Working with a wide variety of sculpture media, Christofferson’s work examines material culture and the contemporary landscape,” according to her artist statement. “Through a selection of forms and materials, she attempts to elicit associations of familiar objects, thereby commenting on the tenuous nature of the constructed environment.”
This being my first modern art exhibit, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Visual art is not something that a person can simply glance at and just keep wandering through. Especially with modern art, where there is often hidden meaning in the objects, the viewer really has to stop to take in the pieces.
“Faux”
Christofferson made use of wooden poles of different sizes and colors. The poles are placed in different positions; some free standing, others are leaning against each other; yet there is some sense of order to it. The piece is very childlike and playful, but there is solemnity in it, as well.
“Twin Engine Pallet”
In this piece, we see three pallets that create a jumbled and diverse support system. All the pallets are painted different colors and make use of different textures—right down to the two-by-fours that support the bottom of the pallets. Pallets are usually invisible objects. We do not often give them a second thought because we bury them under things we deem more important. Here Christofferson made them into an arrangement that was pleasing to the eye.
“Core”
This piece is a layered work of art. The description says the sculpture uses “three types of foam insulation and siding”—all materials you could find in a home. The piece is a hexagon shaped prism split down the middle. Mat Kelly, associate professor of art, says that when sunlight shines between the two pieces, the pink insulation glows. Because the piece looks to represent the walls of a home, there is a safe and warm quality to it. The sculpture is simple, but the viewer feels drawn to it.
“Knock out, knock down”
This piece was featured in the Chicago-Sun Times. The three previous sculptures make use of objects that could be seen around the house or a workshop; however, this piece is different and has an exotic quality to it. There are eight slices of wood cut into an unusual shape. Connecting them is wood siding and a piece of PVC pipe. The artwork seems very stable, and I think it conveys a sense of security.
“Heard Ya the First Time, Part II”
A series of PVC pipes connect to make a jungle gym-like structure. On the inside, the artist has sculpted several ears that are the same size and shape but of different colors. I interpret that the ears represent all the noises we have to listen to throughout the day.
“Roberto’s Tree”
This piece was a definite “aha” movement for me. At first glance, the viewer sees four objects. I thought: “How can these three separate objects resemble a tree in any way?” After a few seconds, I noticed that one object was brown and made out of wood and the others were green and could represent some form of foliage. Mat Kelly says that when he saw this piece being set up he assumed that the pieces were going to stacked on top of each other, but that was not the case.
Overall, I found Christofferson’s work enjoyable. I felt that her artwork was very imaginative, and it changed the way I see wooden pallets, foam insulation and wood siding. “Extended Play” is a nice way to spend an hour or two.