“Faces” Group Art Show will open this month at Third Space Art Collective
Third Space will host an open house Friday, Oct. 9
By JONAH BERMAN – arts@theaggie.org
On Oct. 9, Third Space Art Collective will open its exhibition “Faces,” which will be on display until Oct. 31. The exhibition will also feature a reception on Oct. 9 as part of the Davis ArtAbout, a monthly art walk through different galleries in Davis.
The show is inspired by an animation from local artist Katerina Hanks and features works submitted through an open call for submissions in any medium. Third Space’s monthly shows frequently feature works from different parts of the local community, according to Third Space President Jord Nelsen.
“Anybody can submit to our shows,” Nelsen said. “We've had little kids submit stuff before. It's just a matter of how they become aware of it.”
Third Space, which has been open since 2013, has existed in multiple iterations over its tenure. Currently, its events and outreach have led to a flourishing environment. The collective has expanded its programs and resources in recent years, such as the free art supply pantry.
“It's a really welcoming environment,” Hanks said. “The art supply pantry is a rarity in its existence at all and it's one of the best art supply pantries out there.”
Hanks’ initial animation originated from the “Make Your Own Little Movie” short film festival held by Third Space last May, where Hanks was inspired by an Italian synthpop track from the 1980s.
“Somewhere early in the ideation process, I heard this song ‘Faces’ [by Clio] and just had such a vivid image of it as an animation that I was like, I guess I'm gonna learn to animate,” Hanks said.
After initially planning a self-portrait show for the month of October, Gallery Director Lou Taylor pivoted to the new theme after viewing Hanks’ animation.
“It just clicked when seeing that animation from Kat,” Taylor said. “Let’s not do a self-portrait show, let's do a show of faces. That animation just really inspired me.”
During the exhibition, Hanks’ original Faces animation will be presented again, and there will be interactive activities along with the artwork. In addition, the show includes a variety of mediums; works that employ painting, ceramics, collages, mixed media and printmaking will be shown. Nelsen emphasized the vibrant and unique atmosphere that will be characteristic of the gallery during the show, subverting traditional expectations regarding art galleries.
“The space in general is not your typical gallery space,” Nelsen said. “It's vibrant and you can feel the creative energy. It's not just going into a clean-slate room where the walls are really clean and all you're doing is absorbing yourself into the exhibit. It's a different experience.”
In the eyes of both Hanks and Third Space’s leadership, the open-ended theme reveals a glimpse into the varied perspectives of the artists. Taylor noted the array of opportunities to uniquely display the subject matter within the gallery space, and especially how different juxtapositions of works could evoke unique and unexpected reactions for visitors. Submissions to the exhibition have included, for example, portraits of family members and prints of iconic historical figures. This diversity of subject matter within the theme prompts attendees to contemplate how the face expresses fleeting truths, according to Hanks.
“You get so much in so little of a person from how they look on the outside,” Hanks said. “It's kind of like the essence of the individual. But also we forget that it's totally impermanent and ephemeral.”
Taylor is enthusiastic about the show, not only because of its content, but also due to the inclusive environment which they hope it will foster. Specifically, they highlighted how Third Space seeks to distinguish itself through an openness to newly exhibiting artists.
“I like the idea of making things as open as possible for people who want to put their art up in galleries,” Taylor said. “Submitting your art to shows is always intimidating, or there's some kind of barrier. I think a lot of the shows feel special to me at Third Space because if you want to have something in the show, we can get it to work.”
Ultimately, Taylor hopes that the show will provide an enticing and thought-provoking space for visitors, while also helping to build connections between local artists; as an artist in their own right, they posit that this is a central yet underdiscussed aspect of art exhibitions.
“One of my favorite parts of opening receptions is introducing artists to the other artists in the show,” Taylor said. “It's hard to talk to people you don't know, and that's one reason I like having open calls: to get as many people into a space at once. If an art-opening reception can connect people and artists, I feel like that's the most important thing.”
The reception for “Faces” is on Oct. 9 from 6 to 9 p.m., and the exhibition will be shown throughout the month.
Written by: Jonah Berman — arts@theaggie.org