Richmond, VA artist Amanda Stephan does assemblage art; making the most of cast-off objects she finds going to waste in the world around her on a day-to-day basis, she constructs sculptures that often feature modern re-imaginings of the stained glass format that was popular in past centuries. Her latest collection of works, entitled Glasphemy, will be showing at Refuge Salon beginning on April 5. Here's a preview:
There are a number of ways to evaluate how the world unfolds around us. There are those who attribute all things to a higher power, an omniscient being who dictates all outcomes. I prefer to consider each day as a collection of chance encounters. The result of each choice made is part of an endless Fibonacci pattern. The art of assemblage has been described as expression that demonstrates the "marvelous potential of the chance encounter." The artist, by chance, discovers an object and in it, sees potential for new expression. That object is altered or combined with other objects to create something new. An object, or objects, that were once mundane or abandoned, become meaningful. Something that once served an artless function is reinvented and re-appreciated.
The legacy of Wallace Berman, Elsa von Freytag Loringhoven, and many other forerunners of assemblage art, lives on in the work of the modern assemblage artist. I like to claim allegiance to this artistic population. This form of expression appeals to me because I have a lot of creative energy, but limited funds and limited technical ability in most other forms of art. With assemblage, I have a never-ending supply of resources in the discarded what-nots of the world and I welcome the challenge of re-imagining them. Old electronics are my favorite materials to work with. I like the idea of disassembling electronics (phones, computers, televisions), items that frequently distract us from the tangible world around us, and turning them into a commentary about themselves. I also frequently assemble art using glass, in the vein of stained glass and mosaic. This medium allows me to combine an older art form with modern concepts, a dichotomy that I enjoy toying with. Basically, I'm happiest when I'm elbow-deep in glass and trash.
Glasphemy will premiere with an opening reception at 7 PM on Friday, April 5, at Refuge Salon, located at 407 N. Cleveland St in the Museum District. For more info, click here.
