Opening Soon
The Regrettable Truth of the Cliché
by Christopher Rowley
May 15 – July 15, 2022
The Regrettable Truth of the Cliché. I first became aware of Christopher Rowley and his art work when I juried the textile section of the fine arts competition at the Minnesota State Fair in 2021. It was wonderfully creative Indeed I gave him an award. And we immediately met for coffee to talk about gallery representation!
Two Fingers and Some Cornbread
The piece in the fair was this one: Two Fingers and Some Cornbread. There is perfection of technique in the piece. It is made similarly to a hooked rug. Short lengths of yarn are knotted to a sturdy mesh background. If you are the right age you’ll remember the rug hooking kits of the 1970’s: lots of orange and black yarn, lot’s of owls and pumpkins. Cool technique. Crummy design.
Christopher takes this devalued craft and makes it new. His initial training as an artist was in graphic design, which is utterly clear in how he uses color, line and space. But the work is so much more than good design. Each of the modest- sized sculptural pieces owns it’s space on the wall. The hooked pieces are large objects, with visible mass. They occupy a liminal space between sculpture and painting very successfully.
Rowley’s smaller pieces, casually stapled to stretchers, have a jewel like quality, contrasting the meticulous embroidery and/or painting with the pitch perfect presentation. The contrast is delicious!
The show opens at Susan Hensel Gallery on Artsy May 15! I can’t wait to share more of it with you!
About Susan Hensel Gallery
Opened September 10th, 2004 Susan Hensel Gallery was a gallery/ workspace presenting 5-6 shows per year devoted to the concept of narrative in the arts in an intimate space, with hardwood floors and high tin ceilings. The Susan Hensel Gallery is now both a window gallery on Cedar Avenue, the main thoroughfare in south Minneapolis and an online venture represented on Artsy.net.
In March 2013, the interior space reverted to a working studio for Susan Hensel where she continues to work on small and large scale artwork with an attitude. You can find her current work at Susan Hensel Projects
The studio remains open to the public by appointment or chance, on Monday-Saturday, 10 am-5 pm. You are welcome to drop by this gallery/workspace at any time, but a call ahead prevents frustration. The well lit Windows on Cedar Project are available to be seen 24 hours a day.