New Works by:
Ryan Horvath
Brendan Jansen
Carrie Kaufman
Jason Larson
Aurora Metter
Jennifer Towner

In 1917 Marcel Duchamp shocked and offended the art world with his Fountain, a urinal set on a pedestal as an “object d’art.” I enjoy his invitation to pee on fine art, the clever pun of the title, and his rebellion, which was the kick in the pants the art world needed. He brought high art down, mocking it with its own means.

The artworks included in “Common” achieve the opposite. Rather than lowering high art, they raise the everyday to the level of avant-garde fine art. In the U.S. today we have no faith compelling us to build great works as the artists and the architects of the days of yore. We have no need for faith when plastic makes it all possible. The works chosen for “Common” reflect this idea. They look to the ordinary for inspiration, showing that Laundromats, picnic dinnerware, and muscle cars are the cathedrals and holy grails of today.

— Chad Wentzel, “Common” curator