STRANGE LOOPS
Paintings by Reni Gower
IN THE NEIL BRITTON ART GALLERY
November 13, 2015 - January 13, 2016
Opening Reception and Artist Talk:
Friday, November 13th (6 to 8pm)
Free and Open to the Public
The exhibition "Strange Loops" blends mixed media works that combine collage and assemblage with detailed illusions on paper. Using the language of abstraction, Reni Gower blends a fluid improvisational painting approach with a repetitively structured and analytical one to create complex images that counter visual skimming. She incorporates the circle as a repetitive decorative motif, as a metaphor for binary code, and as a cultural symbol. Through intricate patterning, she combines these references to contrast passive technological consumption with the redemptive nuance of work made by hand. By creating a private space within a public one, her art quiets the mind and encourages contemplation.
Reni Gower is a Professor in the Painting and Printmaking Department at Virginia Commonwealth University. In 2014, she was honored to receive the College Art Association’s Distinguished Teacher of Art Award, as well as Virginia Commonwealth University’s and VCUarts’ Distinguished Teaching Awards. She is also the recipient of a NEA / SECCA Southeastern Artist Fellowship and several Virginia Commission for the Arts Project Grants. Her art work is represented in many prestigious collections and has been showcased at international and national venues for over 30 years. In addition to her painting practice, she curates award winning traveling exhibitions. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University, a Master of Arts degree from University of Minnesota-Duluth, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Friday, November 13th (6 to 8pm)
Free and Open to the Public
The exhibition "Strange Loops" blends mixed media works that combine collage and assemblage with detailed illusions on paper. Using the language of abstraction, Reni Gower blends a fluid improvisational painting approach with a repetitively structured and analytical one to create complex images that counter visual skimming. She incorporates the circle as a repetitive decorative motif, as a metaphor for binary code, and as a cultural symbol. Through intricate patterning, she combines these references to contrast passive technological consumption with the redemptive nuance of work made by hand. By creating a private space within a public one, her art quiets the mind and encourages contemplation.
Reni Gower is a Professor in the Painting and Printmaking Department at Virginia Commonwealth University. In 2014, she was honored to receive the College Art Association’s Distinguished Teacher of Art Award, as well as Virginia Commonwealth University’s and VCUarts’ Distinguished Teaching Awards. She is also the recipient of a NEA / SECCA Southeastern Artist Fellowship and several Virginia Commission for the Arts Project Grants. Her art work is represented in many prestigious collections and has been showcased at international and national venues for over 30 years. In addition to her painting practice, she curates award winning traveling exhibitions. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University, a Master of Arts degree from University of Minnesota-Duluth, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
