New Work 2022
Saturday, November 26 & 27, 2022
Modern Monument
Issue #1
In an article on Modern Monuments, Samantha Pires offers “…Though it may be possible to summarize the characteristics that seem to define modern monuments, the way we remember and the way that we grieve is a constantly changing and intangible experience—one that (artists and) designers will continue to honor in the built environment.”
The project at Space 900 for November 26 & 27th 2022 uses light and shadow, electric blue and reflective media to entice the viewer through the space physically while activating the work visually uncovering layered experiences through changing vantage points.
Kara Cobb Johnson states, “the shape and material qualities of a medium or subject matter challenge me… the arc of a passageway beckons one to look through. Diamonds jump and settle upon a wired fence frame, alive with light. How can I create an indirect path, that a viewer chooses, uniquely and succinctly, with areas to settle and spaces to pass through? Space 900 offers the perfect space to explore this way of making without a paintbrush. Using colored vinyl, rock and roll music, light and space against white walls and papers.
I called the show Modern Monument because I feel like I am a modern monument, a repository of memory and history. I use music in the studio to create works that will be compiled into an experience. I see and highlight how I feel about what is important to me. The viewer is invited to discover or simply become a part of the evening and following day of this experience. Hopefully, the magic of the holiday season will be palpable.
Cloudgazing: Clouds are a playground for the imagination — all you need to enjoy them is something comfortable to lie on. Step 1 On a partly cloudy day, grab a towel or a blanket and head out to your backyard or forest. Step 2 Pick a nice, open area with a clear view of the sky. Step 3 Lie down on your back and start talking with your child about what they see.
Kara Cobb Johnson b.1976 Evanston, IL
Kara lives and works in Chicago, IL. She studied visual
arts at The University of Chicago Graham School,
Minneapolis College of Art + Design and School of the
Art Institute of Chicago. She was awarded grants from
the Illinois Arts Council and The Department of
Cultural Affairs + Special Events Chicago. She has been
a resident of Ragdale Artists Colony and Polsky Center
for Entrepreneurship + Innovation. Her work has been
shown at Beverly Arts Center, Hyde Park Art Center,
Oak Park Arts League, Urban Brew Labs,
Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship
+ Innovation, Northwestern University Norris Center,
Curt’s café, Crabtree Nature Center, Chicago Industrial
Arts & Design Center, District 024 Police Station,
MileNorth Hotel, Trailside Museum of Natural History,
Chicago Art Department, Metra Rail Edgebrook and
Space 900.
Kara thanks the collaborative spirit of the artists at Space 900, Samantha Pires, Christine Forni, CSI, her husband, family, friends, Katherine Lampert and the experimental works of Richard Serra, without whom this perspective could not have been acknowledged as an art form.
More can be found at:
www.karacobbjohnson.com
*This project was funded by teaching a Sculpture based workshop organized
by Chicago Sculpture International and attended by the incredible artists and at Arts of Life, Glenview and Chicago.