The University of Kansas Art and Design Gallery (1467 Jayhawk Blvd in Lawrence, KS) presents Aaron Storck’s Wizard Luncheon through Friday, October 9, 2009. The previous day, on October 8, you can join the wizard himself at the gallery for a closing reception and an artist talk/Q&A beginning at 4pm.
Artist Statement (written by Alaska Noyes):
“The wizard is the protagonist at the heart of Aaron Storck’s latest body of work on view at the KU Art and Design Gallery (September 24-October 8). Played by Storck himself, the wizard is an exaggerated over-the-top character donning the most ostentatious of garb, burning incense, muttering incantations, and eating Doritos. He is a complex character used by Storck to examine and question a complex world.
“What is the role of the artist in our contemporary society? What is the difference between the natural and the artificial? How do ethics and morality interact with technological progress? With the wizard, Storck breaches these dense topics with a sense of humor. The wizard’s world is depicted in Storck’s large paintings, installations, and videos. It is a world of chaos and decadence, full of convenient store detritus and art historical references.
“The title of Storck’s show, Wizard Luncheon, engenders an absurd mental image, one that melds the fantastical with the mundane. A luncheon, as opposed to a lunch or a dinner, always implies an agenda. This is not merely a social outing, oh no; there is work to be done. There will most certainly be a spiel or a pitch but this is the risk you willingly take for the promise of free food.”
Find more about Wizard Luncheon and see more of Storck’s work here
posted by: Brent Carter
Tags: art, design, event, gallery opening, installation, Lawrence
