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Exhibition is ‘Wirth’ seeing
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5/18/2007 In his exhibition “Vehicle Season,” Savannah College of Art and Design Master of Fine Arts painting candidate Tim Wirth asserts — among 18 beliefs — “One should never put time inside eyeglasses, for it is paste and will blind you.” His meaning?
He grew up in an Iowa community where people work the land under harsh conditions and — seemingly — everything has a utilitarian purpose. But Wirth knew he had a different kind of seed to sow: For his thesis exhibition, which is on display at Alexander Hall, 668 Indian St., May 18-June 1, he created a unique array of painting assemblages with concepts that take political and poetic license. “I come from a family and community that depend on hard labor and weather for survival. The very idea of making art still seems ridiculous to me. I appreciate it, pursue it and consume it, but when you put it against raising crops, fighting fires and growing babies, it seems completely absurd and luxurious,” said Wirth. “And then sometimes it seems as if it [art] is the only thing that matters.” His artist statement reads like a list of the reasons he makes art, with abstract statements such as “8. Bolts and hinges,” “11. War is everywhere all the time” and “5. Never defend yourself for digging holes and slamming doors.” Decoding his writing means venturing into Wirth’s world and suspending preconceived notions of what may be construed as poetry and what is the artist’s intention: Essentially, he makes things to see things and writes to captivate readers’ interest, blurring the lines between the two forms of communication. An element of intrigue is his commanding use of text in the work. “I think the hesitation [in the work] is the visual meaning I want to convey. Like a visual hiccup, the way you read the text, it can either be ‘begin’ or ‘be gin’ and I enjoy that,” said Wirth. His materials include painted squares of particleboard, blocks, and discarded and weathered lumber that he converts into works of art. But the work isn’t all nuts and bolts. There is a delicate sensibility — thoughtful and expressive — along with a rough, tactile quality provided by the found building materials he collects in his studio. “I like the opportunities that exist in a pile of lumber, wet concrete or a box of matches,” said Wirth. “I have always found that those scenarios have more to do with art than any aisle of paint or brushes.” He invites chance to take a role in the work, but perhaps it is his response to the human condition that makes his work most captivating. Layers of thick acrylic paint consume the canvas or appear in quick, frantic strokes that feel genuine, uncompromised and even accidental. “The show consists of mostly paintings, which I find to be the most appropriate medium to use in today’s climate of cellular phones, television, iPods, hard drives, digital files and every other something that lacks a tangible quality,” explained Wirth. While his strokes of paint and language expunge the need for perfection and shun items of the electronic world, Wirth also has created the smartly designed Web site www.timwirth.com, which features most of his work and news (both good and bad). And when it comes to painting, the piece titled “Panther Deluxe” embodies his complex ideas. “It’s a snowmobile. I really like to use words that have a testosterone quality that is sort of absurd and silly. ‘Panther’ falls into that category,” he explained. He welcomes the haphazard nature of either his composition or his concept falling apart, chaos breeding inspiration and the opportunity to reassemble. “Paint is visceral, raw, lovely and is as capable in making things as it is in destroying them. It drips, spills, dries and covers things up. I’d say that has a lot in common with human nature,” said Wirth. His work also tends to be somewhat political in nature; he believes that it is impossible to participate in the world and not consider or talk about politics. However, he is careful not to hit viewers over the head with his position on topical events. The exhibition also boasts a large number of drawings created primarily outside of his treasured studio. “I am a little more careful. I do drawings when I’m away from the studio and am wearing better clothes. I like to do drawings after supper,” said Wirth. “But I am very fond of paint, so I consider myself a painter. What I hope is taken from the show is this: Everything starts and everything stops. Enjoy the morning and prepare for the night. Everything you have heard is either wrong or right; everything you have seen is neither.” There will be a reception for the artist May 25, 5-7 p.m., in Alexander Hall, where viewers can see Wirth’s work for themselves and discuss his ideas with him.
View recent Past Exhibitions
SCAD hosts annual Georgia High School Drawing Competition - 1/5/2008
Gallery Hop features emerging Korean artists, photography - 11/9/2007 ‘Inside Outside’ highlights married artists’ different styles - 10/11/2007 |
