Studio Montclair to present ‘Inspired by an Object’

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MONTCLAIR, NJ — Studio Montclair will present “Inspired by an Object,” a concurrent exhibition, from Sept. 10 to Oct. 15 at both Montclair Art Museum’s Vance Wall Art Education Gallery, 3 S. Mountain Ave., and Studio Montclair Gallery, 127 Bloomfield Ave. An opening reception will take place on Sunday, Sept. 12, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Montclair Art Museum and from 3 to 5 p.m. at Studio Montclair Gallery. 

This exhibition is the fourth in SMI’s Community Partnership Exhibition Program, created by cofounder and past President Virginia Block, and features the artwork of 51 artists. It is based on the words of Jasper Johns, who made a note to himself in 1964 to “Take an object. Do something to it. Do something else to it.” Since then, these instructions have referred to artwork that uses everyday objects and other non–fine art materials, and describes a revolutionary approach to art-making that developed during the early 20th century and continues today.

“It was very exciting to see what artists selected for their objects and how they chose to use and/or alter them,” curator Virginia Block said. Citing the importance of installation as a critical component of an exhibit, Block added, “I took into consideration how each piece relates to the next and how the viewer will be visually guided through the exhibition and how it would come together in a coherent manner for maximum impact.” 

Juror Ira Wagner, the executive director of the Montclair Art Museum, was “inspired to see a broad range of strong submissions; these show that Jasper Johns’ instruction to do something to an object continues to be inspiration to artists as they transform objects that are everyday items while also unusual subjects for a work of art.”

Participating artists are Olga Alexander, Gabrielle Baker, A. Bascove, Stacy Bogdonoff, Bob Calleja, Pam Cooper, Bettina Cousineau, David Derr, Philip Drill, Anne Dushanko Dobek, Harriet Finck, Leslie Ford, Yolanda Fundora, Michael Gabriele, Bennett Gewirtz, Anita Gladstone, Jay Goldberg, Bart Gorin, Pam Grafstein, Beth Heit, Jang Soon Im, Nancy Iovino, Paul Jervis, Martta Kelly, Robert Kogge, Annette Kushen, Steven Kushner, Eleni Litt, Lara Lo Re, Dave Magyar, Deborah Morris, Harold Olejarz, Denis Orloff, Oscar Peterson, Sharon Pitts, Jennifer Place, Amee Pollack, Steven Purtee, Amy Putman, Theda Sandiford, Jen Scheuer, Debra Schore, Miriam Stern, Sandra Styer, Brian Trees, Karen Tuveson, Ann Vollum, Miroslav Vrzala, Bill Westheimer and Agnieszka Wszolkowska.

  Montclair Art Museum, Studio Montclair