Artist Eric Standley to speak at Taubman Museum of Art June 3
On Friday, June 3, at 6:30 p.m., Eric Standley, an internationally renowned artist and associate professor at Virginia Tech, will give a talk at the Taubman Museum of Art about the mythology of Daphne and the process creating his new site-specific installation.
The exhibition “Daphne: An Installation by Eric Standley” is curated by Amy G. Moorefield, deputy director of exhibitions and collections at the Taubman Museum of Art and will be on view through Nov. 6, 2016, in the David R. and Susan S. Goode Gallery.
For additional information and to register, visit TaubmanMuseum.org or call 540-342-5760.
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“Daphne,” incorporates cut paper and reclaimed wood from Virginia. The piece continues the cutting-edge technique Standley has become known for, with layer upon layer of intricately laser-cut sheets of paper forming a rich, colorful whole. However the installation adds new dimension to Standley’s work at a much larger scale, free from the constraints of a frame. “Daphne” is 17 feet long and has more than 1,400 linear feet of cut paper through it — more than a quarter mile if placed end to end.
“This was an opportunity to expose the work without barriers between the viewer and the paper — kind of stretching out a frame and chucking the glass. The fragility can be witnessed from all sides without typical restrictions. I am thankful to the museum staff who are taking this risk with me,” said Standley.
Eric Standley is an associate professor in the School of Visual Arts in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech. He has gained international recognition for his cutting-edge artwork, initially inspired by the geometry in Gothic and Islamic architectural ornamentation, painstakingly assembled from hundreds of layers of laser-cut paper to create elaborate three-dimensional works of art. He is a pioneer in the techniques used to create his art, and has generated an international buzz with art collectors, blogs, and media, including Huffington Post, deMilked, Hi-Fructose, Wired Magazine UK, and Discovery’s Daily Planet.
As an associate professor, Eric Standley plays an important role in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech, where he serves as the coordinator of Foundations of Art and Design, the program that teaches first-year students in the School of Visual Arts essential skills in creativity, conceptual sensitivity, drawing and design. Standley draws upon his own experiences as a fine artist to instill “creative leadership,” in his students, which he defines as a blend of creativity, technical skill, and command of visual culture. He encourages them to explore new technology as tools to their own creative expression.
“Vector software and CNC lasers are tools, just like pencils, brushes, paint, and canvas. In my opinion, what you bring to the tools is what counts; if you rely on the glamor of technology to stand in for your individuality and creativity, be prepared to be overthrown by the future. Creativity is a product of sensibility. My sensibility happens to not be conventionally sensible,” Standley said.
