Something Finding Form

Something Finding Form.

By: Alexandria Kurzen

A reflection on our experiences. Group curating a show and my interest in a selected piece by Brian Van Donslear Balancing Set #7 1994.20 .

We initially had shy hopes of creating a group 'art' project for Peter Schulte's class, Issues in Contemporary Art. We all seemed to show interest in Collectives and thought we might try it ourselves. But taking in all of our different personas and styles as artists the idea seemed to feel more like we were all trying to conform to create a physical thing that was urning for meaning.

On the other hand, due to all of our whispering word of mouth we found out about the Theses Gallery and thought it might be a fun and knowledgeable field-trip, maybe to inspire a project that was having trouble taking form. Before we knew it, our 'Collective' turned into a collectively curated show of selected works from the theses gallery. An homage to former artists like ourselves (minus a few years).

The theses gallery to one student, Mark, was 'The Vault'. A hidden chamber, filled with buried treasures that might have had to be found by way of map and X marks the spot. To all of us though, I truly think the Theses gallery became subconsciously a secret garden we got to explore and try to tame. A place to revel in the unbounded past and creativity that went before! We befriended all the artists we uncovered. Whether the artists were now deceased, or never to be found or heard of again post grad. School, or successful working artists in New York, like Franklin Evans, or Brian Van Donslear still working happily in Iowa, or even Pat Ellis returning and now holding down the fort, all these diamonds in the rough, raising them like his own.

In any of these cases though, we each found a little piece of an artist like an imaginary friend in the window as if we were five again. So this is how today...not just an art show stands, not just a bag of rocks, not just an erotic rooster, not just a damaged frame, but something stirring, something festering, something we would like to share as an expression of life that wants to be bold again and boast its mere existence.

Amidst all of the many works of art we sifted through, the notorious 'bag of rocks' (more properly titled "Balancing Set #7") kept re-instating itself. Especially for me, I think every trip we made out to the collection someone would ask, " What’s in that canvas bag again? Who did it again? Write that down." Marcel Duchamp's Bo-en-valise, for some reason came to mind, where miniatures of his work are put into suitcases.

To me it seemed Van Donslear preserved not only his work in a bag, but the very idea of his work and maybe the time and care that filled this bag. He not only has preserved the concepts of the original, but created a whole new work from the reproduction of the rocks in what looks like an old canvas army bag. I created this pseudo idea of who Brian van Donslear was, and his art that could conveniently be taken and set up wherever you so pleased (disregarding the fact that it weighs probably 150 pounds).

Even though we read the 'directions' on the canvas bag we never fully understood it and still brought it along for the show. Were we to try and re-build this impossible structure of balancing rocks? Were the public to come and have a go at it? Were rocks missing? Was this a mockery to the draft calling one of each MFA student's pieces to be left behind? Was this a feat only Andy Goldsworthy could try at home?

Still perplexed but hopeful, Katie and I attempted to take the rocks out of the bag! A mistake Pete soon realized after reading the inscription one more time. Then we put the rocks carefully back in their bag and all had a good laugh and sigh of relief. Now the old canvas bag, filled with beauty, sits boldly at the top of the stairs as it welcomes us all to the show.