Chris Drury "Mushrooms|Clouds"

From: Nevada Museum of Art
Limited Edition: 1
Exhibition: Chris Drury Mushrooms|Clouds
Material: Printed 2-ply vinyl
Dimensions: 36" x 95" (91cm x 241cm)

Hanging Hardware Included

Summary

British conceptual artist Chris Drury uses his images and installations to explore the natural cycles of the environment: death and rebirth; destruction and regeneration. To explore this in his recent exhibition at the Nevada Museum of Art, Drury focused on mushrooms and clouds. A one-of-a-kind banner from the show displays spore-like imagery.

Description

British conceptual artist Chris Drury  investigates environmental themes. His fascination and focus are with nature’s cycles of destruction and regeneration, and in particular the ways that humans impact these natural systems. His unique perspective and investigation was applied to the American West for his installations for the exhibition “Mushrooms|Clouds”. Issues such as land and water use as well as nuclear testing were interpreted into artworks both in and around the Nevada Museum of Art. Using locally collected materials, his art was site-specific in nature while broad in its approach to scientific, cultural, environmental, and political issues.

Mushrooms not only provide rich nutrients to regenerate soil - they can also be dangerous. As both poisonous agents of death and important agents of rebirth, Drury finds mushrooms an apt metaphor for nature’s environmental cycle. His works visualize and interpret the connections between art and nature.

This one of a kind banner from the show features the circular, spore-like word patterns Drury is known for. As the artist says, “The written words are repeated and hypnotic, like a mantra. The words cease to have meaning, the concentration is on the sound. A word that has a good sound is easy to write. It flows on to the canvas.”

Both sides of this banner are identical The banner is white with beige circles containing white letters that read “Chris Drury”. Surrounding alternate letters are concentric circles containing small, repetitive text that reads “Making a work with people changes the people”. Red letters at the bottom read “Mushrooms/Clouds”.

Provenance

This banner was displayed in Reno, Nevada in front of the Nevada Museum of Art from August 9 to October 5, 2008 to promote the exhibition, Chris Drury: Mushrooms|Clouds. The exhibition was site-specific and seen exclusively at this venue.

About the Artist

Learn more about Chris Drury