HEADS ON POLES

Heads on Poles

The iconic display of a head, severed and mounted on a stick, is ubiquitous as a representation of ominous primordial savagery. Cliché in its references to cannibalistic ritual, human sacrifice or cautionary symbolism, its general structure also contains rich connotations to formal art- a 3-dimensional image-object, laden with material and conceptual possibility.

For the purposes of this project, curators Paul Nudd and Scott Wolniak have adopted the concept of Heads on Poles as an open guideline to direct broad responses from a large group of artists. Over four dozen artists, ranging widely in discipline and style, were invited to produce sculptures loosely based on the formula of Head On Pole, in any material. These totem-objects will be simply placed, as casually clustered bodies, throughout the main gallery space of Western Exhibitions.

Additional artists have been asked to respond to the same theme with graphic works for a concurrent print project.

Through collective effort and the idea that creative freedom can occur within structural uniformity, Nudd and Wolniak hope to achieve a complex and immersive spectacle. Diverse interpretations are anticipated, with possible outcomes such as conceptual objects, portraiture, obscenity, abstraction, political gestures, humor and horror. With no attempt on the part of the curators to control submissions after the initial call for participation, the final group of works will be a surprise for all.

 

ARTISTS:

Mike Andrews

Ali Bailey

Jason Robert Bell & Marni Kotak

Nick Black

Daniel Bruttig

Andrew Burkholder

Lilli Carré

Joseph Cassan

Mariano Chavez

Ryan Travis Christian

Vincent Como

Bruce Conkle

Jean-Louis Costes

Vincent Dermody

Mike Diana

Edie Fake

Scott Fife

R.E.H. Gordon

John Hankiewicz

Keith Herzik

Carol Jackson

Bob Jones

Chris Kerr

David Leggett

Mike Lopez

Teena McClelland

Dutes Miller

Miller & Shellabarger

Joe Miller

Andy Moore

Max Morris

Rachel Niffenegger

William J. O’Brien

Onsmith

David Paleo

John Parot

Michael Rea

Tyson Reeder

Dan Rhodehamel

Bruno Richard

John Riepenhoff

Kristen Romaniszak

Steve Ruiz

David Sandlin

Mike Schuh

Mindy Rose Schwartz

David Shrigley

Edith Sloat & Sophie Greenstalk

Edra Soto

Ryan Standfest

William Staples

Ben Stone

Bill Thelen

Jeremy Tinder

Sean Townley

Jim Trainor

Anne Van der Linden

Jason Villegas

Sarah Beth Woods

Aaron Wrinkle