Video  Walker ChannelArtist Chris Larson talks about Unnamed, his site-specific installation built for the exhibition. more >>
Photos  Flickr GroupSee Spectacular of Vernacular installation views (and more) more >>
Articles & Reviews "There are several Minnesota artists in the show, but nothing so cornball as P.B. and the Babe. Instead there is a distinctively Midwestern closet-sculpture by Siah Armajani and three massive bas-relief tableaux by Aaron Spangler, beautifully carved with farm equipment, patriotic symbols and muscular WPA-style motifs."-- Star Tribune more >>"Taken together, the exhibit is a thoughtful meditation on ideas of home, love, comfort, tradition, simplicity, and rustic, uncomplicated pleasure."-- Mpls.St.Paul Magazine more >>"The show isn't kidding when it uses the word 'spectacular' in its title... Many of the pieces have the capacity to astonish."-- MinnPost more >>
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"...A cheerful, poignant, sometimes humorous and occasionally sharp-edged reflection of contemporary life"--Star Tribune
Embracing the rustic and humbly homemade as well as street spectacle and commercial culture, this new exhibition examines the role of vernacular forms in works that incorporate--and often revel in--craft, folklore, and roadside kitsch. |
 The Spectacular of Vernacular
On view through May 8
Inspired by artist Mike Kelley's observation that "the mass art of today is the folk art of tomorrow," The Spectacular of Vernacular features some 40 works by more than two dozen contemporary artists, which run the aesthetic gamut: the hand-crafted work of Aaron Spangler juxtaposes with Lari Pittman's carnivalesque day-glo paintings; Marc Swanson's glittering trophy heads with Rachel Harrison's urban relics. Also on view are photographs from William Eggleston and Shannon Ebner, who both revel in the signage and other elements of roadside culture.
Focusing on pieces made since the 1970s, the exhibition shows how the vernacular, in its very ubiquity--its integration into home life, social rituals, and sense of place--is an ongoing fascination for artists. With artworks that draw from such diverse sources as local architecture, amateur photographs, and handmade domestic items, it's suggestive of a long, meandering road trip through the emblems and eyesores of everyday culture, replete with tourist destinations and outmoded hotels. read more >> |
Related Events  March 13: Jim Shaw
Mack Lecture
Join artist Jim Shaw and chief curator Darsie Alexander for a lively discussion about kitsch and art, thrift stores, music, and the Midwest. read more >> |
 April 9: MN Made
Special Event
Try your hand at seed art or get the basic knitting lesson you've always wanted at this all-day showcase of Minnesotan creativity. Shop the MN Made Artist Mart, get crafty during hourly, hands-on workshops, and learn about building a creative business. read more >> |
Exhibition Catalogue 
Text by Darsie Alexander, Andy Sturdevant, John Brinckerhoff Jackson
This fully-illustrated catalogue includes an essay by exhibition curator Darsie Alexander exploring artists' interest in the vernacular as a means to address aspects of folk ritual, amateur craft and sense of place in their work; a reprint of John Brinckerhoff Jackson's "Vernacular" from his seminal 1984 reader Discovering the Vernacular Landscape; and a reflection by artist and curator Andy Sturdevant on the evolution of roadside vernacular, and attendant histories of heartland America where it is so abundant. Also included is a reading list gathered from a cross section of art criticism and cultural studies.
Available from the Walker Shop. read more >> |
The Spectacular of Vernacular is made possible by generous support from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Helen and Peter Warwick, and the Margaret and Angus Wurtele Family Foundation.
Sponsor
Additional support is provided by Accenture and Briggs and Morgan, P.A. Media partner Mpls.St.Paul Magazine.
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