We all have that one “junk drawer” dedicated to those objects that we don’t use, but can’t seem to throw away. The sentimental value of personal objects is the theme for Jordan Buschur’s upcoming solo exhibition, More With More with Less. The show opens with a reception from 6-8pm on Thursday, December 13 at River House Arts, 425 Jefferson St. (in the Secor Building).
Object permanence
More with More with Less explores the intersection of biography and anonymity in a contemplative examination of personal belongings. The paintings are anonymous and familiar, calling to mind the importance of memories we retain through objects. The 15 works complement each other to tell a broader story. Paintings of stacked books in bright colors, some with poetic, carefully chosen titles, invite a viewer to “read” the painting. Drawers full of inanimate, seemingly forgotten objects demonstrate the intimacy of personal belongings while images of empty stacked boxes address the passing-on of people, and their objects, and the memories the accompany them.
More with More with Less discusses the things we retain that don’t necessarily mean anything to other people but that, due to a childhood memory or other sentimental associations, hold meaning for us.
Our things, ourselves
Paula Baldoni, director and owner of River House Arts, a standout downtown gallery which consistently exhibits contemporary artists like Buschur, pointed out that Buschur’s exhibition, and the nature of the work, is well-timed. “I think that this is a perfect exhibition for the holiday season, when we all tend to become a little too preoccupied with the actual objects we give and receive, the stuff that fills and clutters our lives,” Baldoni added. “What meaning will these objects hold when the moment of exchange or transaction passes? What happens months or years from now?”
“I love books and I’m intrigued with ideas around book collections and what they may reveal about us and to us,” Baldoni continued, “Not only the specific titles but how we feel about them and how treat or display them.”
After teaching and showing work throughout the country, Buschur moved to Toledo in 2016 to work with The Arts Commission and Findlay’s The Neon Heater Art Gallery, Along with her move, Buschur brought an diverse and impressive resume. The established artist has shown her work all over the world, and recently, one of her paintings was chosen for the cover of novelist Ian McEwan’s My Purple Scented Novel.
The works in the exhibit are meant to be shown together, combining fullness and emptiness, of having and not having, whether people or things. “They are paintings about death,” Buschur said. “When people pass on, and their collections of objects pass on, the next person doesn’t appreciate the value; it no longer has that importance.”
More with More with Less will run from December 13, 2018 to
January 26, 2019.
River House Arts, 425 Jefferson St., Toledo.
419-441-4025 | riverhousearts.com
