Review

A review of Mark Cowardin's From the Ground Up

Installation view of "Mark Cowardin: From the Ground Up," at the Kansas City Jewish Museum of Contemporary Art — Epsten Gallery from November 8, 2009 through January 3, 2010, showing "Beacon," "Ductwork" and "Stacked." Photo: courtesy of EG Schempf

Kansas City Jewish Museum of Contemporary Art — Epsten Gallery
Overland Park, Kansas
November 8, 2009 — January 3, 2010

For many, where water or electricity comes from and how it translates into mundane daily comforts appear as a veiled mystery. The smooth automatic, instant quality of light switches, plumbing fixtures and heating systems attempt to convince us we don’t need to know what they do, we just need to push the button. Mark Cowardin’s work begins to contextualize the naiveté with which people take for granted the basic functions performed by utility workers and matter-of-factly expected by all.

Mark Cowardin, detail of "Stove," wood, foam, flocking and casters, 132" x 49.5" x 49.5", 2009, with "Ductwork," "Beacon," "Stacked" and "Tub" visible in the gallery. Photo: courtesy EG Schempf

The Epsten Gallery showcases Mark Cowardin’s enigmatic home for art with the artists’ interpretation of nine objects that have an indistinct relationship with each other. These sculptures are crafted primarily of wood, and are interpretations of various utilitarian objects rendered useless by their nature as closed, non-functional sculptures. Many depict objects related to personal comfort — stylized electrical boxes, and wood burning stoves, bathtubs and HVAC devices. Also represented are 55-gallon drums and cinder blocks. The subjects are divided into two categories: objects we associate with comfort and objects that are less personal objects and do not command a lot of daily attention. Their fine-finished quality works very well on some of the objects, such as Stove, but is far less effective on Stacked, which depicts wooden cinder block shaped objects.

Mark Cowardin, "Stacked," wood, 73.5" x 15.5" x 15.5", 2009. Photo: courtesy of the artist

Cowardin sees the gallery space as a home for these items. The sculptures distinctly speak the language of construction, which gives this exhibition a “laborer friendly” feel as well as smell. The use of fir and pine, building materials rich in resin, give the exhibition the same smell as a lumber store.

In his artist statement, he states that he sees the pieces as a reminder of the link between man and nature, and that he sees the objects as absurd links to people. The machined surfaces and direct references to industry seem to speak of a relationship between industry and nature, peppered with commentary about societal ignorance of the human condition in general as it relates to the space we all call home. The exhibition brings to light the fundamental disconnect between society and a general understanding of how everyday surroundings function to make us comfortable. These sculptures have a velvety and purposefully crafted seduction that highlights their ability to do nothing exceptionally well. They directly reference the elaborately designed mock non-functioning bathrooms and kitchens seen at orange or blue big-box stores. The question becomes: How does a meticulously handcrafted work use its form and non-function to express itself, and how does the language of a construction site translate into an art exhibition?

Mark Cowardin, "Tub," wood, 96" x 49.5"x25", 2009. Photo: Jade Ganson

When viewing Tub, Cowardin’s depiction of what could be termed an “old-fashioned claw foot bathtub," we are tricked into projecting our pre-existing views onto the piece. Skillfully assembled from layered particleboard, the presumed top of the bathtub is attached to a 4-by8-inch piece of board. The industrial printed signage remains on the piece. The piece is presented leaning against the wall, so the view presented is primarily of the bottom of the object. Stacked fiberboard is arguably the worst material possible for any functional vessel designed to hold water or liquid. It is a type of engineered wood product that is made from wood fibers glued together and flattened to form a board — it disintegrates with exposure to water.

Mark Cowardin, drain detail from "Tub," wood, 96" x 49.5"x25", 2009. Photo: Jade Ganson

The fact that the Tub will never receive water is relieving. It will remain on the visual edge of functionality and will never mature to actually attempt its false legacy. When considering the concerns that the use of this material brings to the piece, it highlights the hazards of modern building materials and how these types of concerns easily become part of everyday life. Particleboard, for instance, has long been known to contain formaldehyde in the glue used during manufacture. It is better known for the negative effects of the “off-gassing” of this formaldehyde as it enters personal space through air exposure in homes. Although there are environmentally friendly means of manufacturing this material, the inclusion of a potentially hazardous material gives Cowardin's piece an extra bit of interest. The artist’s inclusion of a drain on the bottom of the tub and of cast metal “claw feet” add personality.

Mark Cowardin, "Stove," wood, foam, flocking and casters, 132" x 49.5" x 49.5", 2009. Photo: courtesy EG Schempf

Stove is Cowardin’s rendition of a pot-bellied wood-burning stove. Foam and flocking characterize interpreted smoke emanating from the smokestack and the front opening. A wood-burning stove constructed of wood is a clever use of anecdote coupled with superior craft. It quickly moves toward social commentary, though, as it could be interpreted as a disconnect with natural processes or even a critique of a lackluster audience members who look at each other, say, “Euh,” and miss the point. Cowardin has a well-honed ability to use imperfections in the materials to his advantage. The knots in the wood and small gaps left between elements serve to highlight the many imperfections in our own homes and our own objects. A single leg of the Stove is a precisely cut tree branch, as opposed to finished lumber. He has also used a small shim to shore up one of the legs, another example of his tongue-in-cheek viewpoint.

Mark Cowardin, foot detail of "Stove," wood, foam, flocking and casters, 132" x 49.5" x 49.5", 2009. Photo: courtesy EG Schempf

Though Tub, and Stove have a distinctly personal feel, 741 Miles gives us an interpretation of a largely ignored object, a usually grimy vessel, a 55-gallon drum. The use of this shape references industry as well as transportation. The orange spray paint in the center space of it is “highway crew” orange, a brash, boisterous color that demands to be noticed.  Seven hundred, forty-one miles per hour is the speed that breaks the barrier of sound, also referred to as Mach 1. This is often viewed as a dimensionless quantity as opposed to a unit of measure. Through this reference, 741 Miles becomes more provocative, especially when considering that all pieces in this show are physically closed off from any actual measure of quantity or any quantity of contents.

Mark Cowardin, "741 Miles," wood and spray paint, 35.5" x 22.5" diameter, 2009. Photo: courtesy EG Schempf

Two of the pieces, Night and Day and Ductwork, display a use of whimsy that is a welcome in contrast to the realistic and specific character of other objects. The scale looks just a little off, and the curves and surface markings are exaggerated enough to take both sculptures out of the realm of super-accurate representation to the edge of make-believe. These fantastical depictions attempt to change the rhythms of industry, not only to convenience, but also to whims of aesthetic.

Mark Cowardin, "Ductwork," wood, 104.5” x 44” x 25”, 2009. Photo: Jade Ganson

As with every thing in the exhibition, these portrayals of commonly used mundane objects are closed; they are useful only to mark their visual territory. Ductwork is physically attached to the wall, not balancing on a surface or placed on the gallery floor like the other sculptures in From the Ground Up. It is the only piece that interacts with its home space on an attachment level, and this small difference gives it a quality of commitment that makes it convincing as a true resident, as opposed to a transient guest. This piece is comfortable in its space.

Mark Cowardin, "Beacon," wood, 24.5" x 12.25" x 86", 2009. Photo: courtesy EG Schempf

Beacon is a sculptural rendering of a gaslight, a fixture of an antiquated outdoor lighting system (still in use in historic neighborhoods, but primarily archaic — it originated in the early 1800s). The light rests on its side on one of the cinderblock-shaped pieces depicted in Stacked, and there is a random section of modern-looking plumbing attached to the bottom. Since a beacon is sometimes seen as a warning, this one could be interpreted as an attempt to call attention to our shadowy perception of our surroundings; the illumination from an old fashioned light — much less a faux one that is disconnected from its fuel line and lying down uninstalled — is dim and ill defined, similar to the relationship between a societal disconnect to our surroundings and our own quickly changing environment.

Installation view of "Mark Cowardin: From the Ground Up," at the Kansas City Jewish Museum of Contemporary Art — Epsten Gallery from November 8, 2009 through January 3, 2010. Photo: courtesy of EG Schempf

The overall palette of the exhibition, palomino blonde with accents, results in a deadpan delivery of the artist’s well-developed sense of humor. When the entire scene is viewed graphically, the persistent monotone works against the suggestive qualities of the sculptures; another gallery setting (with a non-wood floor) would give them more definition. As a group, the objects presented here have a tenuous relationship. Although they are primarily made from materials from nature, the language of the natural toggles back and forth with vague fragments relating to the language of manufacturing. This relationship serves to attenuate rather than intensify the continuity of ideas and works.

Mark Cowardin, "Gas-O-Line," wood and flocking, 16" x 11" x 12" diameter. Photo: courtesy of the artist

From the Ground Up contains several stellar pieces: Tub and Stove, although coming from different vantage points, are both wonderful examples of a commitment to craft as well as a deep understanding of the quality and interpretation of their material. The slight scent of fir as one enters the gallery sets the mood for the pieces exhibited. This distinctive odor encourages us to recall the various commercial outlets associated with the familiar forms and materials we see, and these subjects let us know that just because something looks like something else, we should not be fooled into thinking it will fit into our pre-conceived ideas about form and function.

-re-

Popularity: 7% [?]

Updating...