This new exhibit represents 'pin drop' of Missouri contemporary art
The faint sound of chirping birds welcomes guests who enter into the lobby of the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center this month. The tune comes from a video project created by woodwork artist Josh Johnson, one of 13 Missouri artists featured in the center's latest exhibition, "Current State."
"Current State," which opened July 1, is on display at the Robert & Margaret Carolla Arts Exhibition Center through Friday, Aug. 2. The center is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and by appointment on Monday. A First Friday Art Walk closing reception will be held from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2.
"Current State" is Carolla's third co-curatorial exhibition, which serves as a collaboration between Missouri State Art and Design Department Director of Exhibitions Jodi McCoy and a current MFA student. This year, MFA visual studies student Erin Tyler was chosen to flesh out a pitch she submitted during the spring semester.
A Missouri native, Tyler was interested in curating an exhibition that showcases artist relationships with the land.
Initially, Tyler had a list of about 39 artists based in Missouri she was interested in working with, and she has developed a personal relationship with all of them. Artists were her mentors, like Missouri State professors Amanda Smith and Sarah Williams; peers, like Missouri State alumni Rick Briggenhorst and Shauna Le Ann Smith; or artists she looked up to during her studies, like Missouri State alumnus Mikey Yates. Others are artists she's built relationships with online and now has been able to meet in person.
Each of those initial 39 artists fit in one of three categories Tyler created, including neo-regionalism, found objects and community makers. In the end, she selected 13 artists based in Springfield, St. Louis and Kansas City who represent a variety of mediums, ranging from painting and photography to woodworking and sculpture.
In the end, Tyler hopes "Current State" represents a "pin drop" of Missouri artistry.
Former co-curatorial exhibitions at Carolla have focused on the detritus of cultural domesticity and narratives centered around female bodies and artists. Last year's exhibition, "The Figure, Reclaimed" was deemed a "must-see" exhibition by the College Art Association of America's Committee on Women in the Arts.
Works encourage thoughtful participation
Johnson's video installation, "Osage Products," is displayed on two screens near the entrance of the exhibition center. The videos depict Johnson climbing barefoot on an Osage orange tree. He is coated in ash and wears a handmade mask and uniform made from wood. The quiet chirping of birds captured during the project carries through the remainder of the center.
Based in Springfield, Johnson graduated with an MFA in studio art from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2010. He works mostly with wood to depict feelings of materiality.
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One of the works Tyler gets asked about the most is Briggenhorst's "tears to keep." The work, located in the back room of the exhibition center, features a video projection and sculpture made of concrete and ice. Every morning, gallery staff must place a new ice mold onto the slab of concrete that then melts throughout the day.
"It's our little magic trick," Tyler said about the work. "He (Briggenhorst) 3-D printed these molds and they are actually scans of Fassnight Creek. The concrete sculpture part, the cut in it is also made to mimic the creek. Throughout the day, that inverted, frozen version of the creek melts into the creek bed, which is incredible."
Briggenhorst graduated from Missouri State with an MFA in May 2023. He continues to live and work in Springfield.
The other work Tyler frequently sees guests interacting with — though she said she doesn't get many questions about it — is Will Chiles' "Labyrinth and Ring."
Located in the heart of the exhibition center, "Labyrinth and Ring" features a labyrinth path made of green vinyl tape on the floor with a rock placed in the center. Overhead hangs an intricate sculpture that seems to tie the ceiling and floor together.
Chiles' statement about the work encourages guests to walk through the labyrinth as they see fit.
Visiting the exhibition on Wednesday, several trinkets had been placed atop the rock, including coins, a torn admission bracelet to the City Museum in St. Louis and an enamel pin.
"The day of the opening he (Chiles) brought in ... a couple things to leave on the rock. People very quickly realized, 'Oh, I can leave a gift.' So we're collecting these gifts. That wasn't originally a part of the work, which I guess is something common in labyrinths, you leave gifts as you walk through."
An Ozarks native, "Current State" is Chiles' first exhibition. He also creates music and land art.
Another participatory work in the exhibition is Kellen Wright's "Pastoral Beauty Queen."
Placed carefully on the floor of the exhibition center, the work features bricks collected in St. Louis, a few books and handmade zines. Though the artist statement and description of the work do not clearly state if folks can physically interact with it, Tyler told the News-Leader that the zines placed atop the bricks toward the back end of the exhibition center are "takeaways," meaning folks can take one with them.
Who are the artists featured in 'Current State'?
"Current State" features works from the following 13 Missouri contemporary artists:
Stella Blackmon of Springfield (photography and video)
Madeline Brice of Kansas City (painting)
Rick Briggenhorst of Springfield (interdisciplinary art)
Will Chiles of Springfield (music and tree hedging)
Sage Dawson of St. Louis (interdisciplinary art, with an emphasis in textiles)
Josh Johnson of Springfield (woodworking)
César López of Kansas City (metal sculpture)
Emily Mueller of St. Louis (multimedia, with an emphasis in photography and drawing)
Amanda Smith of Springfield (drawing and painting)
Shauna Le Ann Smith of Springfield (interdisciplinary art)
Sarah Williams of Springfield (painting)
Kellen Wright of Springfield (multi-disciplinary art)
Mikey Yates of Kansas City (painting)
Learning by doing
Tyler will enter her third and final year in Missouri State's MFA program this fall. She described herself as a "process-based artist" who largely works in geometric abstraction. Most recently, Tyler's works have centered around photos taken of family quilts, ranging in size from a few inches to 68-by-92 inches.
Throughout the curatorial process, Tyler said her biggest takeaway was learning by doing. She gained confidence in connecting with artists, handling their work and installing works in an exhibition space.
After graduating in May 2025, Tyler hopes to sustain a lifestyle in which she can continue creating art in a studio setting. She also would like to continue teaching. Currently, Tyler teaches undergraduate drawing classes at Missouri State as a part of her studies. She has also taught at the Springfield Art Museum.
Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. She has more than five years of journalism experience covering everything from Ozarks history to Springfield’s LGBTQIA+ community. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: New Springfield art exhibit showcases 13 Missouri artists' work
