This Is Out of Hand
July 14 - September 16, 2023
opening reception: July 14, 5 - 7 pm
Exhibition & Symposium
Curated by Joshua Reiman
Maine College of Art & Design
Portland, Maine
Carving has been found among the earliest known records of Homo sapiens. From stone to wood, metal to synthetics, and soap to sand, carving continues to offer new perspectives in spatial thinking. This Is Out of Hand features an array of sculptures, utilitarian objects, and two-dimensional works by 33 artists from around the world, all united through the common practice of carving. Whether utilizing traditional tools and techniques, or digital technologies such as physical computing and video, all of the works in This Is Out of Hand challenge the norms surrounding reductive processes.
The art of carving is a method to—as sculptor David Nash describes— “quarry” meaning contained within material. The earliest carvings were made long before any written language and communicated shared values around spiritual, emotional, and bodily needs, such as the 30,000-year-old portable sculpture Venus of Willendorf or the 35,000-year-old Hohle Fels Flute (which is used by collaborative artist duo Allora & Calzadilla in this exhibition). Observed in these precious objects are the physical and mental tools needed to uncover meaning within material: a three-dimensional awareness, an elaborate form-language, and an extraordinary ability to focus.
Over the centuries, increasing advancements in technology have shifted labor away from hand-processes and towards more efficient ways to produce objects. Some of the artists in This Is Out of Hand embrace contemporary mechanical and digital production methods and materials. As materials evolve alongside technology, a nuanced, symbiotic relationship is born between the maker, the tool, and/or the machine.
The grouping of artworks in This Is Out of Hand celebrates a wide range of carving techniques and possibilities. There is a story behind every stone, every tree, every object, and every mark made. The exhibition and associated symposium utilizes carving as a language of expression to explore the many elemental questions embedded within everyday materials.
The art of carving is a method to—as sculptor David Nash describes— “quarry” meaning contained within material. The earliest carvings were made long before any written language and communicated shared values around spiritual, emotional, and bodily needs, such as the 30,000-year-old portable sculpture Venus of Willendorf or the 35,000-year-old Hohle Fels Flute (which is used by collaborative artist duo Allora & Calzadilla in this exhibition). Observed in these precious objects are the physical and mental tools needed to uncover meaning within material: a three-dimensional awareness, an elaborate form-language, and an extraordinary ability to focus.
Over the centuries, increasing advancements in technology have shifted labor away from hand-processes and towards more efficient ways to produce objects. Some of the artists in This Is Out of Hand embrace contemporary mechanical and digital production methods and materials. As materials evolve alongside technology, a nuanced, symbiotic relationship is born between the maker, the tool, and/or the machine.
The grouping of artworks in This Is Out of Hand celebrates a wide range of carving techniques and possibilities. There is a story behind every stone, every tree, every object, and every mark made. The exhibition and associated symposium utilizes carving as a language of expression to explore the many elemental questions embedded within everyday materials.
Joshua Reiman, 2023
Institute of Contemporary Art
Maine College of Art & Design
522 Congress St., Portland, ME
Hours:
Wed–Sun, 11am–5pm
Thursday, 11am–7pm
Maine College of Art & Design
522 Congress St., Portland, ME
Hours:
Wed–Sun, 11am–5pm
Thursday, 11am–7pm