Schock and Awe

Collaboration by Jeremy Schock and Eric Dubnicka

Last night I attended the Duluth Art Institute opening featuring a photography exhibit called Instant Love: Polaroid Land Cameras and the Impossible Project and the collaborative work of Jeremy Schock and Eric Dubnicka, aptly named In Cahoots. The former will be on display through November 23 and the into the end of December.

In thinking about the two exhibitions, I thought I would make some suggestions here about how to enjoy an art show.

A lot of us who have been in the art scene for years, or decades, may take for granted that what we see at an art museum is the same thing others see, and frankly, this is simply not the case. A report by the National Arts Index indicates that more people are attending galleries and museums than ten years ago, but the reactions I see on some peoples' faces give me the impression that they are worlds away from enjoying some of the art that many fans of the arts get enthused about.

Here are just a few suggestions for those who are new to attending art openings or art museums.

1. If you don't "get it" that is O.K.
Sometimes the artist is exploring concepts that are elusive unless more fully explained. There may be written materials that you have not seen regarding the aims of the art. There may be a historical context that the untrained viewer is unaware of. Don't feel guilty or bad about it. You can, however, talk to the gallery staff or a friend who is knowledgeable about art history and learn more. The gallery may have printed the "artist's statement" regarding the work displayed which contains an explanation to help bridge the gulf between you and the work.

2. Meet the artists if you can.
It's kind of an unwritten rule that the artist should be there for his or her opening. This affords interested persons the opportunity to pick the artists' brain. If you have an interest in understanding a painting, its choice of themes, modes of expression, there is no better source than the creator of the work. Ask them questions about where their inspiration comes from. Ask what it is they were trying to achieve. What attracted them to explore these themes? Where are they from and why are they here? How did you do that?

3. Meet the other people who attend the show.

Just a small portion of the turnout at the DAI last night.

If you go to enough openings you'll start to get to know other people who are curious about the arts. You'll see them at events. They may even tell you about other art events. But go out of your way to meet the artists because they are usually people just like you. 

4. Drink the wine. Or the punch if you prefer.
Most art openings have finger food and something to wash it down. The show is not about the food and beverages, but they gallery offers it up like any good host, to help make your stay a more pleasant one. "You are a guest and we want you to feel welcome here."

5. If you do see something that interests you, take time to engage the work.
What's going on in the picture as you look at the details. Step back and look at it from a distance. What do you see now?

6. You do not need to be a pro to enjoy it.

Preprinted tissue on repurposed material, by J. Schock.

Poetry, theater, art... it's not created for professorial dissection. It exists to be engaged, to connect with viewers of all types. Well, that's a half truth. Some people make do what they do for critical acclaim. Others, because they have a need to create. But for the most part, music and poetry and art are for the masses.

7. We don't all like the same music, so why do we need to like the same art?
We don't. I respond to this and don't respond to that. We have different tastes. Some people like miklk chocolate and others prefer dark chocolate.

8. If you see something you really like, maybe you should own it.
I've started collecting pieces from various local artists. Here's the deal. You can enjoy it for a few minutes or you can enjoy it for life. I never tire of the pieces I've purchased. They are a form of aesthetic nourishment. Unlike food which is served but once and digested, art continues to inspire or nourish your soul over and over again. 

As for the work of Jeremy Schock and Eric Dubnicka that is currently on display at the Duluth Art Institute, I found many of the pieces quite enthralling. I'd encourage you to take a lunch hour and mosey on over while the exhibit is installed these next two months. Tell me what you think. I enjoyed it.

A Few Minutes with Artist Eric Dubnicka

Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up. 
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

I immediately liked the first piece I saw and knew I'd want to attend the opening of In Cahoots this week at the Duluth Art Institute. In Cahoots is a joint show featuring the collaborations of Eric Dubnicka and Jeremy Schock. The two have assembled an extensive collection of works that are totally collaborative and the DAI is giving them a space to share these works with the wider public from October 11 through December 9 in the George Morrison Gallery. This Thursday, October 25, there will be a Gallery Celebration from 5 - 7 p.m. and the public is invited. If you can't be there for the wine, cheese and friends of the arts, be sure to do a walk-through sometime in the coming month because it will be worth it. Admission is free.

EN: Who have been your biggest influences? 
Eric Dubnicka: My biggest influences in general are those that have made a commitment to art-making and a life immersed in it. Sculptors, potters, painters, crafters. Folks who, without glamor or glory, have accepted the burden that creativity is essential to their existence, and live their lives enveloped in it. It can be an artist's lifestyle and motivation, less than a particular style of art that influences me. To be more specific though, I am always researching and seeking out ways that artists have solved the problems that they've created. Artists such as Alberto Giaccometti and Egon Schiele come to mind, as well as more contemporary artists such as Scott Brooks and others that fall into what is considered Pop Surrealism.

EN: How did you become interested in collaboration? 
ED: I can't say that there was a moment that I decided to consider it or became interested in the idea. The timing was just right. After living in the Washington Artists Cooperative for eight years, I found myself in a new home and with a new studio to break in. I was struggling to get into a groove when Jeremy visited; a fellow College of Visual Arts alum and artist I consider in high regard. I just floated the idea and after we worked for a couple hours it was pretty obvious that something clicked and here we are. If the factors are right, I definitely will be open to working collaboratively again and Jeremy and I have discussed the possibility of working together again down the line.

EN: What have you learned about yourself from your collaborative experiences? 
ED: To let my ego go. As an artist you have to have the confidence that you're making the right decisions as you're developing a work of art. In a collaboration such as this, where we're working on the same pieces(we made over 80), you have to let go of the preciousness of a singular mark and understand that its destruction by another hand can lead to a greater final result. That was a challenge at first, just letting go. Additionally, I learned that its important for me to get out a little more and work with others, whether on art or producing an exhibition, or what have you.

EN: How long were you working at the Tweed Museum and what did you learn from that experience? 
ED: I've been working at the Tweed Museum of Art for five and half years and nearly seven(!) if you include some early contract work. Working at the Tweed as the Preparator and Exhibition Designer has allowed me to work with many artists and view and handle many art forms that I would not have had the chance or privilege to do otherwise. It's been an excellent learning experience and I am certain that is has played a major role in my development as an artist. It has also opened my eyes to the fact that the most passionate and gifted artists out there are not necessarily those we know about, and in order to succeed in the art world, which to me is to eventually make a living off of my work, one has to be as passionate about marketing, grant writing and the other facets that go along with being a business, as you are creating in the studio.


I for one am looking forward to this show. Hope to see you there.
CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE