Artists have been inspired by nature since the beginning of time and they continue to be, said WSU Art Exhibitions Director Lisa Baylis Gonzalez. As such, the Detroit Collects, Part I: The Nature of Art exhibition, presented by WSU’s Art Department, would like for the public to see this phenomenon first-hand.
The free exhibition, located in the Elaine L. Jacob Gallery and running through Dec. 18, showcases contemporary art inspired by nature and created by international artists. This is the first collectors’ show that the department has done, according to Gonzalez. If successful they may do more of varying themes.
Most of the 40 works in the exhibition were created after 1980 and illustrate the different types of abstract and representational art created by artists touched by nature’s muse. The art belongs to metro Detroit collectors who were willing to share some of their pieces.
Gallery preparer and adjunct instructor — and artist — Tom Pyrzewski said he agreed that artists have been inspired by nature since the dawn of time, but added that the collectors also shared that interest.
“I think it’s interesting how much interest the collectors are in nature and how much they actually have in common,” he said. “We were able to actually make a show based on their collections and the theme of nature seemed more apparent than anything else.”
Gonzalez said that the works could be very inspirational for art students at Wayne State, and they could learn from the manners in which the artists work and the ideas that they present.
“It’s very important in terms of looking at the way they’re using their materials and methods, as well as their ideas and their concepts,” she said.
Photography student Crista Broughton said she really enjoyed the exhibit that showed the same area photographed over the course of a year.
“I think that’s kinda cool to see how it changes and stays the same,” she said.
Broughton said that she’d consider creating an image similar because she likes things that repeat.
“It was interesting to see that the way that artists today or contemporary artists are inspired,” she said. “Sometimes it’s rather, in a certain sense, traditional, even though the medium might be a little bit different, like a very new technique in photography; and sometimes it’s not representational at all, it’s very abstracted. But there’s still an element there that relates to the natural world.”
The exhibit contains works by international artists like Gareth Moore (Canadian), Lynette Yiadom-Boakye (British), Michael Bauer (German) and Aleana Egan (Irish).
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