Exhibitions

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Terry James Conrad:

Object Permanence

January 26 through March 13

Opalka Gallery is pleased to present Terry James Conrad: Object Permanence, a survey of the work of Terry James Conrad, on view January 26 through March 13, 2021.  

At the heart of Conrad’s practice is the transformation of found or discarded objects into prints and sound. He creates sculptural printing presses from stacks of found wood and other detritus, plates from bent and molded tin cans, and inks from nuts, metals, dirt, and sediment. “I play with and explore these found materials with an interest in both craft and an unrefined, direct sensibility,” says Conrad. 

In addition to his prints, three of Conrad’s sculptural presses will be included in this exhibition and one will be printing live throughout the exhibition. A new, large, sound installation will also be on display featuring a collection of primitive but amplified and motorized self-playing instruments, made from tin cans. The exhibition will also include several cigar box guitars, and other instruments Conrad has built in the past year.

Reflecting Conrad interest in the community and social aspects of printmaking, the exhibition will feature The Iowa Booth, a large installation inspired by a vintage voting booth he found onsite when he purchased an old firehouse in Round Lake, New York. The Iowa Booth is a wooden modular structure with dyed and printed canvas panels that will be changed throughout the exhibition. During the exhibition, Conrad will be in residence in the gallery on Thursday evenings, The Iowa Booth will serve as a base for a virtual series, Dispatches from The Iowa Booth. He will work on his printing presses, collaborate with musicians on sound pieces, and present a series of virtual events and discussions with individuals and collaborators who inspire his work. Confirmed participants include: marine geologist Dr. Joan Bernhard, artist Donté K. Hayes, musician Tommy Santee Klaws, and conservationist Silvia Secchi.

A native of New York, Terry James Conrad is a 2017 New York Foundation for the Arts Fellow in Drawing, Printmaking and Book Arts and was the 2015-16 Grant Wood Fellow in Printmaking and has been awarded residencies at Frans Masereel Centrum (Belgium), Penland School of Craft (North Carolina), and the Vermont Studio Center. He has had solo, two-person and group exhibitions nationally and internationally. Conrad is currently Assistant Professor and Program Head of Printmaking at University of Iowa and an Iowa Print Media Faculty Fellow.

He previously taught at Skidmore College and assisted his partner Rachel Ziegler-Sheridan in founding the Round Lake School, which is a preschool/residency in Round Lake that follows the teaching philosophies of Reggio Emelia. Conrad is represented by Bruno David Gallery in St. Louis, Missouri.

EVENTS (Note: all events will be online, and recorded)

TUES, January 26, 6-8pm  Join at this link. 

Virtual Opening: Exhibition Tour & Conversation with Artist

WED, February 17, 6:30pm Join at this link.

Artist Lecture: Terry James Conrad

THURSDAYS, 7pm, Zoom (Link to come) 

Dispatches from The Iowa Booth, virtual series hosted by Terry James Conrad

(Note: all events will be online, and recorded)