Published: Jan. 18, 2019
Artist’s work from Luxembourg goes on display at MOWA
Chris Maddox spent 10 weeks overseas as part of program
By Nicholas Dettmann
ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043
WEST BEND — When one looks at certain art work, whether it’s
a painting or a photo, most of the time, one can figure out who did it and what
the story is behind the piece.
That’s not the case with Milwaukee- native Chris Maddox.
Graeme Reid, director of collections and exhibitions at the
Museum of Wisconsin Art, said Maddox’s work is more intellectually challenging.
“Chris’ work makes you inquisitive,” he said. The work
leaves viewers wondering what the story is.
Maddox’s work has been on display at MOWA since Saturday,
but an artist meet-and-greet party is set for 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Cost
is free with MOWA membership or $15, which will come with a complimentary
one-year membership.
Maddox’s exhibition, “Chris Maddox: Atlas Chronos,” will be
on display through March 10.
Also expected to attend Saturday is Charles Munch. His
exhibition, “Between the Lines,” opens Saturday.
Other events related to Maddox’s exhibition include a
gallery talk and tour, which is 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 26.
Maddox’s work goes on display soon after a 10-week
involvement with MOWA’s artist in residence program, a collaboration with Ansay
Development Corp., in Port Washington.
The program was started about five years ago and Maddox is
only the second artist to be selected. The program’s first participant, Lois
Bielefeld, took part in it in 2015.
As part of being in the program, which includes hundreds of
applications from throughout the state, the artist’s work will go on display at
MOWA for an exhibition.
Jessica Wildes, marketing and communications director at
MOWA, couldn’t remember the specifics of Maddox’s application. However, she
remembered thinking, “This guy is really interesting.”
She also remembered Maddox’s application was “so well
written” and was confident he’d come back with something special.
“It’s strong graphically and it’s strong intellectually,”
Reid said of Maddox’s portfolio.
And if Maddox’s name sounds familiar, he was a 2018
participant in the Biennial Art Festival, which MOWA hosts.
About this time last year, Maddox, a former graphic
designer, spent 10 weeks in Luxembourg and lived at Bourglinster Castle, which
dates back to the 11th century. Luxembourg’s location, which borders Belgium,
France and Germany — makes it appealing for artists, Reid said.
“It’s very much a cultural mix,” he said. “You drive 13
minutes almost in any direction in Luxembourg and you’re in a different
country, different language, different architecture, different culture
traditions.
“I think he just found that incredibly stimulating.”
That mixture, in a way, defines Maddox as an artist as he is
often classified as a mixed media artist with photography, collages, etc.
“That’s the thing with his work is kind of layers; it might
seem, at a first glance, kind of disjointed,” Reid said. “I think what he’s
doing is absorbing French, German, Dutch, 11th century, 14th century, 18th
century, 19th century. It’s this layering of history.”
Among the works on display are photographs of the castle he
stayed in.
His defining work revolves around red, white and blue, the
colors of the U.S. flag, as well as more than 20 others around the world.
He received two masters degrees from the University of
Wisconsin in Madison and his first solo exhibition was in Madison. In the art
industry, Maddox is a budding star.
His work has been acquired by museums and private collectors
in the U.S., Italy and Japan. He is focused on book art projects and
installation work. “Nonparallel,” a hard-bound book printed on vintage typing
paper, was in the 2018 Biennial at MOWA.
“For me, this early career time feels like a tremendous
responsibility,” Maddox said in a news release. “I have a strong sense of
direction and focus in my studio practice, but much to learn and a great deal
of work ahead to build connections to the public and communities of artistic
discourse.
“Being in Luxembourg reminded me how different life is in
societies with a different kind of history. I couldn’t see cobblestones without
thinking, ‘Wow, those are 900 years old!’ I found myself thinking in terms of
longer stretches of time and not so much about the day-to-day news cycle. This
unusual experience of time triggered the work I did.”
Maddox’s latest work “Atlas Chronos” is in reference to
German cultural scientist and historian Aby Warburg, who died in 1929. In this
exhibition, Maddox reinterprets Warburg’s work with original compositions that
similarly suggest connections and complex narratives.
“Chris stood out as a rising star from an incredible group
of artist applications,” said Laurie Winters, MOWA executive director/CEO, in
the release. “The solo museum exhibition culminates the residency program and
showcases Chris’ inspired work from his time abroad.”
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