Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum just opened its latest
exhibition; an intriguing collection of works that reimagine the customary
shape and form of a book. Boundless: The Book Transformed in Contemporary
Art showcases the work of fifteen artists who have created extraordinary
three-dimensional sculptures out of the traditional form of a bound book.
At first glance, sculptures by artist Long-Bin Chen appear
to be carved from stone. With a closer look, you can see they are
actually made entirely of paper. Chen explores concepts related to cultural
identity in his pieces, which he creates from local printed material originating
from the communities in which he resides; telephone books, magazines, and other
“cultural debris” reclaimed from our information society.
Artist Mike Stilkey has always been fascinated with painting
and drawing, and he utilizes various (and sometimes uncommon) media as his
canvas. This could include such things as vintage paper, record covers, book
pages and most of all, the books themselves. His introspective and
expressionist style creates a whimsical cast of characters present throughout
his paintings.
Chen, Stilkey and all the various artists, each unique in
their own way, come together in the Boundless exhibition to give books
and paper medium new life. Visit this inventive and fascinating exhibition in
the South Gallery in the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum. And for an even deeper
experience, don’t miss the opportunity to meet the artists at the opening
reception on Friday May 9th. The reception is free and open to the
public, with musical entertainment and artists in attendance.
