First Fridays: “Cardinal Directions,” My Associate Cornelius, Salvatore Conti

We can’t make it to Kansas City for First Fridays tonight but that’s not going stop us from compiling this list of shows we would see if we could.

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CARDINAL DIRECTIONS BY SANTIAGO CAL, DUAT VU, JOHN HENDRIX AND SHAWN BITTERS

Sandmaker, screen printed sand, 68″ x 20″ by Shawn Bitters

Artists’ Statement:
“How have your physical surroundings impacted who you are today? Where are you now and how did you get there? Cardinal Directions engages these questions, discovering that our sense of self is often inextricably bound to the spaces we inhabit over the course of our lives. This exhibition brings together artists teaching at universities to the North, South, East, and West of Kansas City, each of whom is drawn towards the examination of personal identity, geography, and the idea of interfacing with real or imagined boundaries.

“Featured artists include John Hendrix from University of Washington in St. Louis, Shawn Bitters from University of Kansas, Santiago Cal from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Duat Vu from Missouri State University.”

Opening reception, 6-9 pm Oct 2 : closes Oct 30
Arts Incubator Gallery, 115 W 18th KCMO

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MY ASSOCIATE CORNELIUS GALLERY SHOW – POSTER ART BY DESIGNER A. MICAH SMITH

This show features screen printed posters designed by A. Micah Smith under his pseudonym My Associate Cornelius.

Opening reception, 6-9 pm Oct 2 : closes Oct 31
Bridgeport Church, 112 W 18th KCMO

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BROKEN IS BEAUTIFUL — THE MISS HAVERSHAM COLLECTION BY SALVATORE CONTI

The inspiration for this collection by Salvatore Conti comes from Miss Havisham, a character in the novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.

Artist Statement:
“I decided to liberate Miss Havisham from her tattered wedding dress and tattered life by re-writing her story, and create a series of jewelry making broken as beautiful. I wanted to rectify Miss Havisham’s life with an epiphany, a revelation that we can prosper from being broken, we can resurrect our lives, in the same way a grain of sand irritates an oyster and creates a pearl.

“In my version of the story, Miss Havisham sheds her broken world and realizes that she too has become a pearl. She too has blossomed, finally, from her grief and brokenness and has transformed into something new.  She has inspired herself and has moved forward and has re-invented her world.”

Opening reception, 6-9 pm Oct 2 : closes Oct 31
Blue Gallery, 118 Southwest Blvd KCMO

posted by: Brent Carter