"Tornado on the Map" at Franconia Sculpture Park
Franconia Sculpture Park and Interact present Tornado on the Map, a three-person exhibition exploring ecology that features the work of Daniel Metchnek, David Wright, and Matt Zimdars.
Opening September 24, 2022, in the Mardag Gallery at Franconia Commons, Tornado on the Map features bold moves and playful gestures across ceramics, drawing, and painting while pondering landscapes, animals, and the forces of nature that shape the Earth.
Matt Zimdars' WCCO series explores weather systems in the Midwest and the station whose reports he recorded diligently for years. With a special interest in severe weather, Zimdars' patchwork drawings overlay text from the weather channel with satellite images of Minneapolis, Stillwater, and beyond. David Wright's paintings and drawings of destination spots are inspired by personal travel experiences, referencing images from books and the internet. Many of his works spring from trips he took with family and friends. Daniel Metchnek's ceramic sculptures are intimate studies of animals from across the globe. Small enough to hold, and at times smiling, lounging, or on the prowl, Metchnek's eagles, tigers, and lions represent a human relationship to nature.
While humans are noticeably absent in Tornado on the Map, our role as witnesses and stewards, both subject to nature and actively shaping it, is felt throughout. The exhibition runs from September 24 - December 31, 2022.
Join us at Franconia on Saturday, September 24, for a public reception that coincides with Franconia's 26th Annual Art & Artists Celebration!
The reception for Daniel, David, and Matt is part of the Annual Art & Artists Celebration, Franconia's largest community event of the year. During the reception, performers from the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota will present a new, site-responsive work inspired by Tornado on the Map.
When | Saturday, September 24, 2022, 3-5 p.m. (DSAMN performance from 4-4:30 p.m.)
Where | Mardag Gallery at Franconia Sculpture Park, 29836 St. Croix Trail, Shafer, MN 55074
Parking | During the Annual Art & Artists Celebration, parking is $5/car.
Learn more at franconia.org.
Accessibility | Franconia Sculpture Park includes indoor and outdoor exhibitions. The outdoor park grounds, which include 50 acres of mowed and gravel paths, are open 365 days a year from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Franconia Commons, an indoor space, is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. until November 14. From November 15-April 14, Franconia Commons is open Friday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Accessible public restrooms are available during Franconia Commons open hours. For more accessibility information, please visit franconia.org.
Image description: Ashlea Karkula, Sharkbite, 2018, acrylic on stretched canvas, 36 x 36 inches. An exciting crowd of animals covers the canvas in vibrant colors. A tangerine shark with blue eyes, grey shark with tongue sticking out, and green alligator-like creature are featured more prominently in the chaotic array. Smaller creatures fill spaces throughout the scene, their eyes large and circular. Some animals play basketball, intermingle, and smile. The whole composition is covered with bright hues. Aquatic blue fills the background.