The Marshall University School of Art & Design is hosting two art exhibitions to kick off the fall semester – “Residence Time,” a solo exhibition by renowned interdisciplinary artist Kelley O’Brien, and “Possession is Not Distinguished: By Purchase or By Gift,” an exhibition by ByProduct Studios, the collaborative practice of artist-designer couple Molly Jo Burke and Nathan Gorgen.
“Residence Time” is on display now through September 5 at the Charles W. & Norma C. Carroll Gallery in the Visual Arts Center, 927 3rd Ave., Huntington, and “Possession is Not Distinguished” is on view August 12 through September 19 at the Birke Art Gallery, also in the Visual Arts Center.
Residence Time is a mixed media installation addressing the issue of industrial pollution in Greensboro, North Carolina. Focusing on pollution in the Cape Fear River Basin, the exhibition uses scent, sound, and kinetic sculptures to create an immersive experience and invite viewers to reflect on the broader impacts of local actions on human health and the environment.
“O’Brien’s work is both accessible and intellectually challenging,” said Courtney Chapman, gallery director at Marshall’s School of Art & Design. “Residence Time features distinct, immersive elements, such as a subtle perfume that mimics the sweet smell of 1,4-dioxane and a soundscape that echoes ominously through the space, layered with familiar aspects of water and reflection.”
As part of the exhibition, O’Brien will give a lecture about the artist on September 5th from 5 to 6 p.m. in Room 209 of the Visual Arts Center. A closing reception will then be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Carroll Gallery, where visitors will have the opportunity to talk with the artist and explore the installation in more detail.
In the second exhibition, “Ownership Is No Different: By Purchase or Gift,” Cincinnati, Ohio-based artists Burke and Gorgen explore the use of surplus materials from their daily lives, their artistic practice, and the natural and built environment around them.
Her work focuses on materials that appear malleable – those that contract, stretch, flow, drip and squish – and blurs the lines between waste and art. The exhibition features a series of works that incorporate objects from family life, such as
unused children’s clothes and leftover parts from DIY projects. These discarded materials are transformed into works of art that recall household objects while questioning the purpose, quality and value of a material.
“Burke and Gorgen’s works will resonate with many exhibition visitors,” said Chapman. “Their ability to create beautiful objects from everyday materials that many can identify with and connect with will inspire viewers to rethink their own consumption and the potential of what we often throw away.”
In addition to the exhibition, Burke and Gorgen have been selected for the Joan C. Edwards Distinguished Professors in the Arts Endowment and will conduct classroom visits and workshops with students in the School of Art & Design from September 18-20.
The artists will also give an artist talk on September 18th from 1-2pm in Room 209 of the Visual Arts Center, where they will discuss their creative process and the themes that drive their work. The event will culminate with a closing reception on September 19th from 6-7:30pm in the Birke Art Gallery. Both the artist talk and closing reception are free and open to the public.
The Visual Arts Center galleries are open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the galleries and all related events is free and open to the public.
For more information or media inquiries, please contact Courtney Chapman at [email protected]. For more information about Marshall’s School of Art & Design, visit www.marshall.edu/art.
