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• MONDAY May 20, 2013 F

Trash becomes treasure in ‘Positive/Negative’

The idea of turning trash into treasure is nothing new in the art world.

“Lee Krasner once made collages out of her own and Jackson Pollock’s discarded pictures,” said Dr. Gail Levin, juror of the 27th Annual “Positive/Negative” National Juried Art Exhibit, on display through March 2 at East Tennessee State University’s Slocumb Galleries. “Earlier in the 20th century, Kurt Schwitter used trash for his Merz collages. Later, Louise Nevelson made monumental sculpture out of discarded wood. More recently, Chakia Booker has made use of old tires, and El Anatsui turned old whiskey bottle caps into magical works.”

This year’s “Positive/Negative” focuses on art works that explore the concept of “Material Transformation” in various forms. Out of 113 submissions from across the country, Levin selected 44 artists for inclusion in the show, including four ETSU alumni: Rebecca Beals, Gary Cawood, Carrie Dyer and Bill Nickels as well as former visiting faculty member Stacy Isenbarger.

“In choosing the works for this show, I wanted to focus on the inherent symbolic value of artists’ materials,” Levin writes in her juror’s statement. “I was especially attracted to non-traditional materials used in new ways. I love it when the material of an art work takes on a life of its own. Making something new out of something once devalued offers possibilities and creates potential. Thus, I hoped to take a look at art made from recycled trash, leftovers, junk and inadvertent detritus.

“I am in awe of artists’ exceptional ability to transform waste materials into art, which benefits society by making something of value out of something once discarded. This is a worthy theme for the present economy that really makes sense. It’s also a ‘green’ idea to take things destined for landfills and direct them to museums. It contributes to cleaning up the environment.”

An art historian and biographer, Levin has taught 20th century art, American Studies and Women’s Studies at the Baruch College and Graduate School at the City University of New York. She is former curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art and has curated international exhibitions for the Museum of Modern Art and the Tate Gallery.

Levin has written extensively about Edward Hopper and Judy Chicago, and her most recent publication is a biography about Lee Krasner. Her essays have been published internationally, and she has written reviews for the New York Times, American Art Review, Asian Art News (Hong Kong), The Los Angeles Times, Art Research (Japan), Journal of Modern Jewish Studies (UK), Women’s Art Journal, BolaffiArte (Italy), Jong Holland (the Netherlands), Arte y Parte (Spain), Archives of American Art Journal and the Smithsonian Magazine, to name a few.

Levin will present a lecture titled “Lee Krasner: A Biography” at 5 p.m., Feb. 24 in ETSU’s Ball Hall Auditorium, to be followed by an awarding reception and book signing in the Slocumb Galleries. The book signing will benefit the Dr. Karen Cajka Memorial Scholarship.

Established in 1985, the “Positive/Negative” annuals have served as an avenue for the promotion and appreciation of contemporary art in the region, providing access to diverse perspectives in art. In its 27th year, the exhibition explores contemporary art, by looking at work as material objects, focusing on media manipulation, transformations and constructs.

“Positive/Negative” is co-sponsored by ETSU’s Department of Art & Design, Department of Literature and Languages, Women’s Studies Program and the ETSU Student Government Association B.U.C. Fund.

For more information, visit www.etsu.edu/cas/art/slocumb/posneg/.

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