Review

Untitled print by Danni Parelman.

Danni Parelman

11 a.m.-5 p.m.

INKubator Press
115 W. 18th Street
Kansas City, MO
816.471.2629

Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday and Wednesday-Friday, and by appointment.
Runs through: Sept. 30.

Gallery site: http://artsincubatorkc.org/inkubator-press

One of the underlying appeals of abstract art is its ambiguity; the more a viewer brings to the interaction, the more possible interpretations and allusions he or she can mine from a work.

There's no mistaking the imagery in Danni Parelman's prints ... but far from narrowing the possibilities for viewers, Parelman's blend of the familiar, the half-recognized and the unidentifiable opens the door wide to all sorts of possible narratives.

The shapes of the structures are familiar, and can be likened to existing architecture from many other parts of the world, writes Parelman, whose work is on display at the Arts Incubator's Inkubator Press through this month. The structures in the prints, however, have elements that set them apart from recognizable monuments; the intent in this project was to create forms that are unique and engaging in their ambiguity.

Parelman adds another layer of mystery by incorporating cryptic signs and symbols into each piece. Combined with her finely detailed visual style, that produces works (such as the one atop this post) which suggest printed reproductions of woven medieval tapestries.

These characters seem to offer an explanation for the structures’ intended purpose, but ultimately raise further questions, Parelman writes ... but it's not that she's simply trying to play an inside joke on viewers.

An important part of the project is prompting the viewer to ask questions, she explains. It is a goal of the project to capture interest through ambiguity. Providing a clear-cut explanation to the images would take away some of their power.

She does offer some clues, however:

It must be said that in some ways, this project is autobiographical. Isolation is a subject that interests me. At times, everyone might feel like an outsider in his or her own surroundings. Outsider groups and subcultures that form as a way for outliers to come together are a fascinating phenomenon, and something that I have experienced in my life first-hand, growing up in the so called “Bible Belt”. The subject matter of the series of prints speaks to outsider groups; there is an almost indigenous or tribal feel to the works. Though there is a general sense of purpose and importance conveyed by the structures, the reasons why remain a mystery.

Therein lies the emotional and intellectual appeal of Parelman's intricate work. She lays out the structures (impossible though some of them might be to construct in real life), includes messages in a code with multiple private keys ... and lets the imagination do the rest.

-re-

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