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THE BIG @SS @RT SHOW
July 13 - August 26
FREE
Opening Reception: Thursday, July 13th 5:30 – 8:00pm
Program: THE BIG @SS @RT TALK, Sunday, July 23rd 2:00 – 3:30pm at the Lakeland Community College Auditorium. Reception to follow. Free admission. To attend, REGISTER ON EVENTBRITE
For more information on the community-wide exhibition and events, visit thebigassartshow.com
Sometimes bigger really is better. This summer, join the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve in partnership with BAYarts, The Gallery at Lakeland Community College, and the Valley Arts Center for THE BIG @SS @RT SHOW, a community-wide exhibition featuring oversized works from some of the region’s most talented artists, including the biggest of the big from the Archives’ permanent collection.
“This is an idea I have been contemplating for years,” explains Lakeland Gallery Director Mary Urbas. “The concept to show large scale artworks started in conversations I had with Archives’ Exhibition Committee Chair John Sargent, but it wasn’t until a meeting with former VAC Gallery Director Dan Simone that the whole thing became real! There’s power in numbers, so we decided to go citywide and invite BAYarts as a fourth westside location. We figured Go BIG or GO HOME!
For the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve, THE BIG @SS @RT SHOW marks yet another milestone in their commitment to community partnerships. As Executive Director Mindy Tousley describes, “The Archives has developed a history of collaborations with other arts organizations, so when this show was proposed, we naturally accepted the idea which struck us as a lot of fun. We have a large number of big @ss artworks and the exhibition gives us a great opportunity to showcase that work. A major part of our mission is to make sure the collection is available to be seen by the public and this show allows us to do that in a big way.”
On display at the Artists Archives are large scale paintings by foundational NEO artists David Haberman, Robert Jergens, George Kocar, Ken Nevadomi, and Patricia Zinsmeister Parker, as well as giant mixed media works by Libby Chaney, John Clague, Dexter Davis, John Jackson, and William Martin Jean. Also on view are three huge sculptures suspended from the ceiling by chains, including Willow Skein, a towering, 12-foot-tall construction by Bea Mitchell which at once mimics the weave of traditional baskets and the twisting double helix of DNA.
Another highlight of the exhibition is a massive electrostatic print by Miller Horns. Comprised of a mosaic of xeroxed photographs, the 5-foot piece depicts Lock 15 in Akron, a sight of historical significance to the city as well as to the African American community, where free Black captains such as John Malvin owned and operated their own canal boats as early as 1840.
Created in the spirit of good humor and collaboration, visitors will be given an “@SSPORT” which can be stamped at participating locations and events for entry into a raffle for original artwork. The exhibition will be celebrated with a free public reception at the Artists Archives on Thursday, July 13th 5:30 – 8:00pm.
As part of THE BIG @SS @RT SHOW, the Artists Archives and The Gallery at Lakeland will host THE BIG @SS @RT TALK with the BIG HEADS of the little arts organization on Sunday, July 23rd 2:00 – 3:30pm in Lakeland Community College’s auditorium. Held in a rapid-fire format, each organization will have just over 6 minutes to tell the audience who they are, what they’re up to, and their exciting plans for the future! Guest speakers include Pat Carroll Bonander (Willoughby Arts Collaborative), Monica Glasscock (Geauga Arts Council), Rebecca Gruss & Julie Polsinelli (Valley Arts Center), Nancy Heaton (BAYarts), Letitia Lopez (The Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center), Robin Robinson (Sankofa Fine Art Plus), Mary K. Thomas (The U & I of Euclid Avenue), Mindy Tousley (Artists Archives of the Western Reserve), Mary Urbas (The Gallery at Lakeland) and Antwoine Washington (Museum of Creative Human Art). Lakeland Artist Reception to follow. To attend the free event, RSVP on Eventbrite
Need special accommodations? We’re happy to help! Email info@artistsarchives.org to plan your visit or call 216-721-9020 for assistance. We’re looking forward to seeing you!