Labmeier was one of the artists invited by Zach Rawe. I think Zach wouldn't mind my paraphrased account of his rationale leading up to Katie's inclusion in the exhibition. First of all, Katie Labmeier was the only artist in the exhibition that we don't actually know personally. As I understand it, Zach's 'thank you letter' invitation to Katie was the first contact between the two of them. I'm fascinated by that, because it bespeaks of the communicative and connective potential of an exhibition. Zach had been living in New York for a semester during his schooling and his return to the midwest was a little difficult; reacclimating to this community and its expectations and biases was a bit daunting. As i have had it explained to me, seeing work by Katie Labmeier gave Zach a little dash of hope in what was possible in Cincinnati's art scene.
For Brought To You By, Katie is presenting "Major Award," which is a project that is as much performance as it is installation, as much detailed manipulated artwork as found object. A raffle will commence at our opening on Saturday night. For a buck a ticket, you can enter for a chance to win one of three prizes, each of which, as is shown on her blog, consists of a beautiful, beautiful cross stitch like the one above and a found figurine that is related to Labmeier's ongoing preoccupation in the personalities and eccentric qualities of these figurines that populate dime stores, thrift shops and flea markets.
proceeds from the raffle will benefit the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and, at the artist's request, U.turn. thank you, Katie! you = awesome.
The conglomeration of all of the components of this piece are clever and interestingly connected. That Katie collects anthropomorphized figurines of animals that are utilized in raffles that will eventually benefit and protect animals is a wholesome and fairly clean synthesis of parts. I'm reminded of a small piece that ran on a New York Times blog earlier this month that asked if Apple and similar companies should put money towards the protection and preservation of the animals that they market their products with (such as leopard, snow leopard, etc.). Read that here.
We're proud to include this project in our first exhibition. The generosity and social conscience demonstrated in Labmeier's efforts are closely aligned to our interests as a gallery to function as a relevant site upon which community can happen. More than just art for art's sake or artistic experimentation for the purposes of pure aesthetic advancement, the projects that we have been planning for the next year of exhibitions search for meaning in visual culture and practical application for visual literacy.
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