RipOff Artists Retrospective Opening May 12

The RipOff Artists are a multimedia collective who set themselves a new challenge each year to “rip off” a famous work of art, reproducing it in their own medium. Photography, fibre art (weaving, felting, and quilting), painting, 3-D, found objects, encaustic (hot wax painting), and more!   2011 is their fifth anniversary, and in celebration they are mounting  a retrospective of their previous work.

Do you need to catch up on any of the four RipOff challenges over the years? Missed any of the following exhibits: Wheatfield with Cypresses by Vincent van Gogh (2007), Emilie Floge by Gustav Klimt (2008), Pink Tulip by Georgia O’Keeffe (2009), or Mount Lefroy by Lawren Harris (2010)?

Here’s a taste of their work. At left is Klimt’s Emilie Floge interpreted in mixed-media collage by Marion Trimble. Below is Harris’ Mount Lefroy reimagined as a small painted cabinet by JoAnn Turner.

You can see them all at once at the

RipOff Retrospective
May 12 – June 23, 2011
Opening reception: May 12, 7 – 9 p.m.
Leir House, 220 Manor Park Avenue, Penticton BC, V2A 2R2
Phone: (250) 492-7997  

 

Klimtomania at Handworks Gallery

klimtomania-emily

“Good artists copy. Great artists steal.” said Picasso. The Rip-Off Artists steal shamelessly. This multi-media collective appears at Handworks Gallery on Oliver’s Main Street, April 1 – 30. Artists’ reception Saturday April 25th, 2 – 4 p.m.

The Rip Off Artists previously re-invented the works of Vincent Van Gogh. The current touring exhibit is inspired by Viennese painter Gustav Klimt (1862 – 1918).

The participants in the collective include South Okanagan artists Marion Trimble (mixed media collage), Terry Irvine (felting), Diane Birnie (quilting), Enid Baker (painting), Kurt Hutterli (3-D), Barb Levant (fabric arts), JoAnn Turner (furniture painting), Thea Haubrich (encaustic art), Oliver Sagebrushers (painting), and Adam Silbernagel (pen and ink).

Klimt’s work is known for its lavish use of colour, especially gold and other metallics. He also uses repeating geometric patterns, filling the background with swirls, or clothing with a multi-coloured patchwork of rectangles, circles, and triangles. Klimt was also famous for his beautiful female models. As a Symbolist, he believed in freeing art from the restrictions of realistic painting, and as a member of the Art Nouveau movement, he gave his art the elegant, graceful, flowing lines typical of the period.

 

The Klimtomania exhibit reproduces the famous full-length portrait of Klimt’s companion, Emilie Floge, an elegant woman in an iridescent blue gown. Trimble, collage artist, uses mixed media to recreate Emilie, including cheesecloth, tissue paper, glossy magazine paper, fabric, beads, and paint (see above).  Fabric klimtomania-levant-3artist Terry Irvine interpreted Emilie Floge as a felted doll on a wire armature. In a humourous before-and-after set of paintings, Enid Baker reimagined Emilie dressed and undressed.

Levant has woven a stunning tunic style top in metallics and blues (see left).

Thea Haubrich uses the ancient art of encaustic (painting with hot wax) to create a glossy, brilliantly coloured portrait. Diane Birnie employed quilting techniques to create a fabric “painting”. Turner reproduced the portrait on a set of cabinet doors. Silbernagel blended the styles of Picasso and Klimt to produce an unusual colour pencil portrait.

Kurt Hutterli, who works in 3-D found object contructions and painting recreated Emilie Floge in a full size interactive piece (see below).

By turns educational and entertaining, the Klimtomania exhibit is not to be missed.

 

klimtomania-hutterliHandworks Gallery, 35648 – 97 Street

250-498-3833
Gallery hours are Tues.-Fri, 10 – 4:30, Sat. 10 – 4pm.

 Photos by Val Friesen