Artist showcases interactive display
Artist Anna Kunz says that her “Forestcanopy” is an interactive work that is like a walk-in painting, but Eastern students are going to have to wait until Saturday to see it.
“It’s an experimental work, which means my viewer and the piece have to be interdependent,” said Kunz.
Kunz’s work is going to be interactive, but the title of her piece is another story.
“A forest canopy is the result of different incidents,” Kunz said. “The piece in Tarble is the result of a lot different ways of working with the material and a lot different ways of arranging the material.”
Kunz said her artwork is meant to embody the way a forest canopy is developed.
The “Forestcanopy” is a combination of painting and installation. Kunz said it is essentially a three-dimensional painting.
Kunz, who teaches at Northwestern University and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, presented at the Tarble Arts Center Thursday. She shared examples of her previous works and previous artists who influenced her throughout her career.
Kunz said artists like Mark Rothko, Paul Clay and Roger Brown influenced her greatly, but went on to say that she does not emulate the works of her artists.
“I try to expand on my influences so they are reinvented and reconfigured into my own work,” Kunz said.
As for more personal influences, Kunz credited her 3-year-old daughter as a major influence because Kunz is in awe on how wrapped up her daughter is in being an artist, Kunz said.
She also approaches her artwork in a unique way compared to most artists.
“I depend on color, form, process, material and paint,” Kunz said. “I would say my hierarchy is sort of shifted around because most artists put drawing first.”
Kunz’s “Forestcanopy” is going to be displayed in the Brainard Gallery from January 13 to March 4.
Kunz expected to have the piece finished tonight and is excited about the work.
“If I didn’t think it would be worthy, we wouldn’t be having it,” said Michael Watts, director of the Tarble Arts Center.
The exhibit opens Saturday and runs through March 4 at Tarble Arts Center.
Artist showcases interactive display
Chicago artist Anna Kunz speaks about the people and art that influnced her to creat a new installation on titled “Forestcanopy,” a 3D exhibit at the Tarble Arts Center on Thursday night. (John Bailey/The Daily Eastern News)
