Forman Gallery (art event)

Elements of Balance, Niki Ketchman

When I walked into the Forman Gallery the first piece that caught my eye was, Dorthy's Secret Garden, it was tall standing about right feet. From the outside it looked unappealing and drab. Once the viewer entered the space a whole world of color opened. Surrounding me was the colors of different steel flowers and ferns swirling around me. Each of their stems poked out through the holes of the steel rods and wrapped the outside. The name most definitely fit, a secret garden it was. It was almost an escapes from reality for a moment, as I sat there staring at the swirling colors. The only thing that I might have changed would to have the garden peel back a bit to reveal some of the interior. Although being more esthetically pleasing to me, would have taken away from the secretiveness of the sculpture.

Down in the main area of the Forman hung a completely different sculpture. This piece consisted of six pieces that together made the installation, Closet. I focused on the one sculpture that I was indifferent towards. This piece consisted of zippers, feather, and fake pink fur. Then at the bottom of the piece she had placed pink feathers. I understand where she might have been going with these article of everyday (or maybe special occasion) wear but I just don't think that it had the same conceptual integrity as, Dorthy's Secret Garden. The hanging mights have resenbled hanging clothing in a closet but to me it wasn't visually interesting.