Exhibition Opening: Blow Up II: Inflatable Contemporary Art

Blow Up II: Inflatable Contemporary Art On View at the Art Museum of South Texas Beginning January 20th, 2023

BLOW UP II: INFLATABLE CONTEMPORARY ART ON VIEW AT AMST BEGINNING JANUARY 20th, 2023

This exhibition was organized by Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – Opening to the public on January 20th, the Art Museum of South Texas will host the traveling exhibition Blow Up II: Inflatable Contemporary Art organized by and originally presented at Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA

BLOW UP II: Inflatable Contemporary Art explores the medium of inflatable art with imagery that is figurative, conceptual, and abstract. These large-scale inflatable sculptures, conceived by nine artists and art collectives from around the world, connote fun and whimsy, are familiar yet strange, and challenge the definition of art.

Featuring a new roster of artists, BLOW UP II includes work by Nicole Banowetz, Sharon Engelstein, FriendsWithYou, Josh Harker, Susan Lee-Chun, Matt Ritchie, Lizbeth Rossof, Jen Stark, and Max Streicher– many of whom have never worked in the inflatable medium previously. The resulting artworks reflect a variety of themes, including consumerism, pop culture, history, and even mortality. Many of the works convey a surreal sensibility through over-sized scale or an uncanny human connection, like Max Striecher’s sculptures that appear to be living, breathing beings– they are just as dependent on air as we are. From the outset, the artworks in BLOW UP II appear fun and playful; however, there is a touch of melancholy throughout the show as we are reminded that once the gallery lights dim, the artworks deflate and await their resurrection the following day.

By harnessing the power of air, BLOW UP II creates a spectacular, immersive environment that allows for the ideas and possibilities in art-making seem endless, and creativity is left to take flight.

The exhibition will be on view at The Art Museum of South Texas from January 20th, 2023 through Easter Sunday, April 9th, 2023.

The tour of Blow Up II: Inflatable Contemporary Art is sponsored by CITGO with additional support from the Texas Commission on the Arts.

For more information on future events visit www.artmuseumofsouthtexas.org 

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