Gallery 210: Sunday, 24 August 2014

EXPOSURE 17: Notions of the Grotesque
Travis Lawrence
Heather O'Shaughnessy
Edo Rosenblith
August 23-October 11, 2014
Gallery 210
University of Missouri-St. Louis

The grotesque is absurd, bizarre, and odd or unnatural in appearance and character. In decorative art, Grotesque involves the inclusion of unusual human and animal figures interwoven in other forms. Such ideology of the grotesque is a more than fitting characteristic that can be used to describe the work by O'Shaughnessy, Lawrence, and Rosenblith.

O'Shaughnessy brings forth her beeswax sculptural pieces that are modeled after Italian anatomical sculptors. Reinventing the little known process of casting with beeswax, just as 17th century Italian anatomical sculptors had, she creates images inspired not only by the human anatomy, but resembles imagery reflected from her experience as a professional tattoo artist.

Gaining inspiration from 15th century illuminated manuscripts and Jungian psychology; Lawrence creates images of archetypal figures evoking deeper thought and individual interpretation. 

Rosenbilth is characteristically grotesque not for his admiration for previous art but for his fantastically distorted figures found throughout his drawings. His drawings reminisce early cartoon imagery and obscure caricature. Rosenbilth will also turn the gallery walls into a canvas of his own with a one of a kind wall painting that will remain in place throughout the duration of the exhibit.

Exposure 17 is scheduled to open August 23, 2014 and close October 11, 2014. A panel discussion and reception for the artists will be held September 6, 2014 between 4 and 7 that evening.