The gallery is pleased to announce the Tang Museum‘s acquisition of a major work by Jeffry Mitchell, “Flower Pot With Flower Growing Out of Hole” (2012), for it’s permanent collection.
The Tang Collection of over 7,000 objects represents a wide variety of materials, subject matter, and time periods. From Pre-Columbian pots to works made by current contemporary artists, our collection offers an unlimited variety of opportunities for study, inspiration, and discussion for the Skidmore community and beyond. The collection is used in imaginative ways and varying contexts through classes, exhibitions, and research.
Identifying himself as a “gay folk artist,” Jeffry Mitchell creates work that deals largely with dualities. Using a variety of materials and methods, including ceramics, printmaking, and drawing, Mitchell manages to juxtapose seemingly disparate ideas into beautiful, fragile, and startling works. Using sweet, furry animals and soft, pastel colors, Mitchell transforms kitsch subject matter into a study of complex human experiences, including death, sex, religion, and loss. His work, at times appearing clumsy and hand-wrought, remains approachable and innocent, engaging viewers with his child-like curiosity and ungainly re-creations of recognized subjects. While highly sophisticated in his technique, Mitchell chooses to display vulnerability in his work, allowing both himself and his viewers to negotiate frightening realities by couching them in the comfort of the familiar and a faith in innocence. His work is suffused with a desire to welcome, accept, and even love the disconcerting and flawed aspects of ourselves and others.
For more information about the artist or available work, please email info@markmooregallery.com.
Mark Moore Fine Art Blog 