Landvatter focuses on how humans present themselves in groups, and how others perceive that projection. “I’m intrigued by the way that we, as social creatures, present ourselves to others,” Landvatter said. “Who are we seeing? Who are we getting when we see somebody? How is he presenting himself to us, and how am I interpreting that?”
The exhibit introduces itself with Landvatter’s work “Marshall & Marshall,” inspired by Landvatter’s brother-in-law. To him, the artwork was completely spontaneous. For “Marshall & Marshall,” Landvatter initially drew the face with charcoal and then laid pieces of tape over the drawing. He then painted over the tape to add texture. Once the process was completed, he removed the placed tape. To tie into the theme of human-to-human perception, Landvatter noted each reaction he obtained when a piece of tape was peeled away.
Found throughout “Borderline” are Megan Mitchell’s ceramic pieces. Mitchell focused on the abstract side of art to interpret the blurring lines of boundaries. The creations highlighted at the exhibition are designed to mimic the imagery of outside cityscapes. The glaze and screen print on the pottery made the objects look as if they were part of Salt Lake City. From big to small, they give the illusion that they are part of the public world, but they are also small enough for private use.
The photographs of Joe Strickland are perhaps the most literal interpretation of blurring the private and the public. Stickland showcased images of public restrooms to give significance to the idea of crossing boundaries. A bathroom is an inherently private endeavor, yet the images illustrate how the experience has transformed to a public affair. The images of public bathrooms possess a contradiction, and Strickland successfully taps into it for his photographs.
Art enthusiast and U student, Bryan Hull discussed his thoughts on the exhibit. “I felt that the theme of the borders of the public and private worlds wasn’t always present in the paintings and some of the ceramics. While the photography, being centered around public restrooms and locker rooms was almost a little too obvious,” Hull said.
Of the three artists, the most challenging interpretation of the exhibit’s theme was Megan Mitchell’s work. Unless the viewer could successfully grasp the abstract thought of the pieces representing public spaces, the theme could potentially get lost due to the aesthetic quality of the pottery.
The “Borderline” displays are stunning nonetheless, and the exhibit does a fantastic job of highlighting locally grown talent. As a theme, “Borderline” provided an interesting insight in the overall viewing experience. It gave rise to the question: What do we define as personal and as private? Viewers of the gallery should caution themselves before entering, because their original opinion of “Borderline” could potentially be thrown out at the conclusion of the exhibit.