A Wrap Up of MOCA GA's Summer ArtMERGE Series

ArtMERGE is a series of field trips, which seek to promote awareness of the diversity of the visual arts venues found in Atlanta, and to ease the boundaries that sometimes prevent interaction between groups. MOCA GA schedules artists, curators, or arts administrators to inform our group and answer questions.

This summer, MOCA GA held a series of four ArtMERGEs to a variety of activities and venues throughout Atlanta. Here is a quick wrap-up of an exciting summer series!

Summer ArtMERGE #1 - June 9

Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA)

Participants in the MODA ArtMERGE arrived at the Museum for a drink and a tour of the facilities led by Bruce McEvoy, the Perkins+Will architect who led the facility renovation. Mr. McEvoy is also MODA’s Board Chair, so he was uniquely qualified to answer questions about the building and MODA. After the tour, guests were free to check out the motorcycle exhibition Passione Italiana: Design of the Italian Motorcycle and to watch the Vespa reconstruction demonstration.

About MODA: MODA is the only museum in the southeast devoted exclusively to the study and celebration of all things design. MODA examines how design affects our daily lives through engaging exhibitions, K-12 educational outreach and exciting adult programming. MODA regularly features exhibitions on architecture, industrial and product design, interiors and furniture, graphics, fashion and more!

Summer ArtMERGE #2 – June 28

Gregor Turk Studio and Exhibition at Astolfi Art

Gregor is a multimedia artist, an entertaining speaker and a member of the newest class of MOCA GA Working Artist Project winners. At his studio we heard his thoughts and saw works in many media. His work typically references mapping and place-making and often incorporates elements of institutional markers, signs, symbols, iconography and pictograms. Of this work, he says "Utilizing a variety of media, I tend to focus on the fundamental qualities of mapping: the mysteriousness, inherent biases, cultural authoritativeness, and ability to simultaneously represent and distort reality."

Gregor’s new body of work at Astolfi Art is entitled Shift. Of this work, Gregor says “Shift is a bit of a departure from my previous work. This series is more contemplative as I reflect on midlife. In this case, place is more temporal than spatial. The trapezoidal pairs form portals implying perspective both literally (vanishing point) and metaphorically (insight). As the project evolved and myproclivity for using blues and greens became apparent, I realized a closer association with maps as I used the dominant colors associated with land and sea.” Also on view at Astolfi are pieces from Gregor’s earlier series entitled Limits.

Summer ArtMERGE #3 – July 29

Martha Whittington Steel Pour

SCAD Atlanta teacher, multi-media sculptor and art installation artist, Martha Whittington invited particpants to join her for a stainless steel pour of artwork which will be incorporated into her 2012 Working Artist Project exhibition at MOCA GA. The pour took place at the lower level of the High Museum building on Art Center Way. Martha demonstrated the creation of molded metal from wax to finished product, and we witnessed the actual process from the melting of stainless at 1400-1450°C in an induction furnace to pouring the mold. As you can imagine, witnessing a metal pour is an exciting and unusual opportunity.

To follow Martha Whittington's progress as she works on her WAP exhibition, check out her blog!

Summer ArtMERGE #4 – August 7

Brian Dettmer Studio Visit

Our group met with Brian in his home studio to find out what was happening there. His solo show at Saltworks this past winter inspired a nice, little segment on CBS News! Brian also recently had a show with Kinz + Tillou Fine Art in New York City which describes his work this way: "Brian Dettmer carefully selects and sifts through stacks of old books to uncover the perfect source and subject for his cultural archaeological explorations and sculptural possibilities. With the precision of a surgeon, using scalpels and hundreds of x-acto blades, he alters the pre-existing information and images by selectively removing and manipulating elements to propose new ideas and map new visual journeys." Dettmer's process was fascinating and creative to watch as demonstrate his methods to our group.