“14, 86 lbs” by Noah David Bau. The “I-95 Triennial” will feature a wall with four large photographs by Noah David Bau, who captured images of orphaned and neglected boys in a Bangkok training camp located in the city’s “most notorious slum.” “The boys are subjected to grueling workouts in oppressive heat; their bodies endure brutal punishment; and they are trained to be ferocious and merciless.”-Noah David Bau.
The University of Maine Museum of Art in Bangor’s second “I-95 Triennial: From Connecticut to Maine” exhibition opens to the public April 5 and offers a unique glimpse into the diversity of contemporary creative practice by artists from five New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. The exhibition features works in an array of media, from sculpture and painting to photography and mixed media. One hundred and fourteen artists submitted works for consideration and, as a result of a highly competitive jury process, 34 artists were invited to participate. The jurors for the I-95 Triennial 2013 were Timothy McDowell, Professor of Art and former Chair of the Art Department, Connecticut College and George Kinghorn, Director and Curator of the University of Maine Museum of Art.
The Triennial showcases a wide range of approaches to materials and styles including representational, abstraction and conceptual works. Color photography is well represented by several artists including Christopher Chadbourne and Noah David Bau, each of whom works in a fine art documentary style. Both offer in-depth investigations of subjects ranging from the colorful world of state fairs to young boys in brutal boxing camps in Bangkok, Thailand. Also featured are artists working in the traditional medium of gelatin silver print including Maine-based Ilya Askinazi and Claire Seidl. Sculptural works by J.T. Gibson, Walter Kopec, Paul Oberst, Christine Owen and Edward Mackenzie range from mix-media assemblage incorporating appropriated objects to beautifully crafted bronze and wood forms. The landscape serves as inspiration for paintings by Nina Jerome and Linda Packard. Each artist employs gestural paint passages and bold colors to depict birds-eye views of urban settings and the serenity of ponds filled with lilies and other vibrant flora.
Contemporary abstraction is reflected in Daniel Anselmi’s multi-layered collages, Marc Leavitt’s pulsating colorful painted surfaces and Kathryn Frund’s canvases which display an array of marks, drips and stains. The 90-plus works of art by these New England-based artists attest to the multitude of approaches to art-making and the pluralistic nature prevalent in contemporary art.
I-95 Triennial 2013 Participating Artists: Daniel Anselmi, Ryan Arthurs, Ilya Askinazi, Noah David Bau, Roberta Baumann, Lindsey Beal, Charles Benner, Renate Caraballo, Christopher Chadbourne, Kenny Cole, David Estey, Joshua Ferry, Kathie Florsheim, Kathryn Frund, J.T. Gibson, Rachel Hellmann, Terry Hire, Kay Howell, Jana Ireijo, Nina Jerome, Alexis Kochka, Walter Kopec, Marc Leavitt, Edward Mackenzie, Robert Moran, Paul Oberst, Christine Owen, Linda Packard, Gerri Rachins, Ken Sahr, Roxanne Faber Savage, Claire Seidl, Cheryl St. Onge and Barbara Sullivan.
“Encounter” by David Estey, “A Stair in waiting” by Walter Kopec, “DMV” by Roberta Baumann, “Untitled” by Daniel Anselmi.
“I-95 Triennial 2013” runs through June 8. The University of Maine Museum of Art, located in the heart of downtown Bangor, has a permanent collection of over 3,800 objects with an emphasis on modern and contemporary works of art. The Museum of Art offers a diverse schedule of changing contemporary art exhibitions throughout the year. Admission to the Museum of Art is free in 2013 thanks to the generosity of Penobscot Financial Advisors. For more information visit umma.umaine.edu.
