Mix, mingle, and marvel. Our ArtSpace gallery (located in the lobby of the Basile Theatre) features a rotating exhibit calendar showcasing the work of emerging and established artists of all disciplines.
Misplaced Gratitude
Artist: Lindsay Lord
On a daily basis, consumers are faced with all kinds of advertising messaging from businesses hoping to draw attention and money. Evocative phrases like “Must Have,” “Can’t Live Without,” and “Obsessed With” invade our homes through television, pop up on our computer screens, and adorn store walls amongst beautifully displayed inventory. The irony is that our collective desire for convenience and to amass these beautiful things is causing great and irreparable impact on the one thing that we truly cannot live without: our environment.
Yet we go about our routines, accumulating the things we’ve been convinced that we need. Often, we tote these things home in a bag emblazoned with the words “Thank You.”
Thank You. It’s a simple, universal phrase expressing gratitude. However, in the case of rampant, irresponsible consumerism, this gratitude is misplaced – both by consumers and the corporations or businesses from which we buy. By incorporating the ubiquitous Thank You bag into her artwork, the artist hopes to encourage viewers to take the time to examine what they want versus what they really, truly need. When we interrogate want versus need, we will often find frivolity and excess: single-use containers, cheaply made clothing, seasonal knick-knacks, the latest gadget and sadly, so much more.
It is not easy to separate ourselves from the conveniences that make up our daily lives. Many of these habits are so ingrained that we don’t stop to interrogate them. Taking the time to do so is a sort of mindfulness, connecting us to others and our environment.
The exhibit kicks off on the First Friday of the month with a special reception from 6pm to 9pm. Our bar is open and ready to make this the best way to kick off your First Friday gallery tour.
