Tag: Jason Miller

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“What I Kept” at AMUM

CREDIT: Jason Miller

Last fall, the Art Museum at the University of Memphis (AMUM) issued a call for submissions for an exhibit set for Women’s History Month. They were looking for objects brought to this country from international women now living in the Memphis and Jackson areas. The result is “What I Kept,” opening this week at AMUM.

Fifty-five women from 33 countries participated, with each woman asked to include a written story about her chosen object. The show features 21 photographs by Jason Miller (he describes it as a “life’s work” for him) as well as some of the objects. Andy Hunter’s documentary In the Middle about international women will be screened during the exhibit.

“The exhibit promotes dialogue, raises voices that may not be heard through artistic means,” says Penny Dodds Karwacz, the curator of “What I Kept.”

The objects range from the sentimental to the utilitarian. Two women — one from the Netherlands, the other from Ghana — brought mortar and pestles. There’s a cookbook, a Koran. Some brought traditional clothing items, others paintings and pictures. A few brought dolls. The youngest participant, a 3 year old from China, brought a figurine of a rabbit, bought by her adoptive parents before they had met her.

Karwacz says the objects represent different things, depending on the woman — a link back to the culture, happy memories, a sense of control, a feeling of protection.

“It’s heartwarming how emotional it is to talk about about the objects they cherish,” says Karwacz.

“What I Kept” at AMUM March 14th-July 2nd. Opening reception Friday, March 20th, 5-7:30 p.m.

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“Investigations” at Masonic Contemporary

Artist and curator Jason Miller says he’s just beginning to lay the groundwork for a new commercial gallery, but he also wants to continue working in an educational, non-commercial vein, and this week marks the official launch of a new venture called Masonic Contemporary. Building on the successes of recent exhibitions, Masonic Contemporary uses the Scottish Rite building as a not-for-profit museum and performing-arts venue where new artworks and original performances will be presented alongside century-old Masonic artifacts, in a building that is a unique time capsule in and of itself.

The first Masonic Contemporary exhibit is titled “Investigations” and collects work by Jeff Mickey and Jean Flint, who are husband and wife artists who teach at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. “He does these amazing kinetic pieces that are large and will look really good in the space,” Miller says. “He went through the grad program at the University of Memphis, and that’s where I first saw his work. His wife Jean also makes amazing, extravagant sculptures.”

“Investigations”

Miller’s last Scottish Rite exhibition was a large group exhibition of works by nearly 50 artists that invited visitors to explore the entire temple and theater. This time, he walked the artists through the vast mural- and artifact-laden environment to decide where the work might fit best.

“This is going to be more like a spotlight series,” Miller says. “And you’re going to see a lot more of these intimate shows.”

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“Circuitous Succession Epilogue” at Scottish Rite Temple

“The cause of human progress is our cause, the enfranchisement of human thought our supreme wish, the freedom of human conscience our mission, and the guarantee of equal rights to all peoples everywhere, the end of our contention.” So begins the Scottish Rite creed, a set of ideas evidenced in the Masonic order’s welcoming of ambitious works by nearly 50 local, national, and international artists into their grand temple at 825 Union Avenue.

Curated by Jason Miller, “Circuitous Succession Epilogue” brings together a variety of artists working in mediums ranging from wood and steel to fragile ceramics and plastic Walmart grocery sacks. The artwork can also be heady, exploring a range of topics from economic disparity to corporate dominance to female exclusion. It may also be witty, as is the case with stairwell installations by sculptor Greely Myatt, and a tricky piece by multimedia artist Jay Etkin that has been used by Miller to create a kind of hide-and-seek game with visitors.

“Creating a world just for us” by Pixy Yijun Liao

The Scottish Rite building is three stories with a dining room and a grand theater that was expanded and refurbished when it was used to film performance scenes for the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line. It is already outfitted with ornamental work, masonic symbols, and portraits of past members. Miller, who curated his first exhibit in the grand, non-traditional space a year ago, says that part of his aim was to create a resonance between the curated artworks and the temple.

Miller can’t stop talking about the depth of talent in his show and seems especially excited about four pieces created by Shara Rowley Plough. “It’s called Maids Work,” he says of the collection. “She wove maids’ garments out of Walmart shopping bags. They are so detailed; it must have taken her a year.”

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Jason Miller’s New Mural at the Gaisman Community Center

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Community-themed murals are often big, colorful, optimistic, and kind of terrible. For some unknown reason, neighborly virtue is universally painted in watered down oranges and neon greens. Communityish things are always created with the exact emotional range of the bureaucracies that commission them. They are hard to get right and easy to get wrong and either way we are stuck with them.

Jason Miller’s new mural at the Gaisman Community Center in Gaisman Park (near the intersection of Macon and Covington Pike) is not terrible. It is big and colorful, but more weird than optimistic. The mural features Gaisman community members suspended in a larger than life, gravity-less parkland. A white-haired, wizardly-looking man plays pool. Elvish community members, as portrayed by Miller, go about their normal community center routines— working out, playing bingo or pool or basketball, or jubilantly doing the splits—but look very like mercurial forest nymphs caught at play. A few of them hold their bingo boards and stare knowingly at you, as if the bingo boards held incalculable secrets. The mural is big and detailed and just mystical enough as to not be drab. You can get lost in it.

The mural is not visible from the street but is definitely worth some investigation if you are in the area.

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Photographer Saj Crone Unveils Images of “Fantasy Fest”

CREDIT: Saj Crone

Key West, Florida’s annual Fantasy Fest celebration has been described as that area’s version of Mardi Gras. Semi-nude or crazily costumed revelers party in the streets for about 10 or so days toward the end of each October. The event isn’t strictly for the LGBT community, but since part of Duval Street in Key West is home to gay bars, there’s a large LGBT presence at Fantasy Fest.

Memphis photographer Saj Crone documented last month’s fest, and her images will be showcased on Friday, November 15th from 6 to 9 p.m. at Gasoline Gallery at 2493 Broad Avenue in the 15th installment of curator/artist Jason Miller’s “Circuitous Succession: An Exhibition Series.” Crone’s show is called “Fantasy Fest—Key West: New Vernacular Images.” The images will remain on view until November 19th.

An image from Fantasy Fest—Key West: New Vernacular Images

  • Saj Crone
  • An image from “Fantasy Fest—Key West: New Vernacular Images”

Here’s Saj Crone’s artist statement:

“Fantasy Fest is an annual week-long celebration in Key West, Florida in it’s 32nd year. It culminates in a parade at the end of the week, when Duval Street is filled with people in various costumes and states of undress. It is a street party filled with the fantasies of free spirits.

October 26th, 2013, my cousin and I drove to Key West from his home in West Palm Beach. We were visiting a friend, and our visit began in the middle of the parade day. We walked up and down Duval Street. I was amazed and kept shooting my camera. That evening we watched the two hour parade, which demanded more photographs.

This exhibit is a result of that day. Jason Miller, curator of the show, insisted that I show these images because they are so different from what I usually shoot- swamps and river floods. I’m glad to be showing this work- with thanks to Jason and his inspired efforts in putting this show together.

An image from Fantasy Fest—Key West: New Vernacular Images

  • Saj Crone
  • An image from “Fantasy Fest—Key West: New Vernacular Images”