Of all the iconic lines in cinema history, one from the 1939 film, “The Wizard of Oz,” managed to capture the psychological synonym senior painting major and Birmingham, Alabama native Justin Armstrong was searching for. Armstrong found a name in the quote, “We’re Not in Kansas Anymore,” which became the identifier for the weekend-long gallery collaborative show at the Lee O’Neil Gallery.
“’We’re not in Kansas anymore’ was just a thought that popped up,’” Armstrong said. “ After playing the synonym game (Googling common words and finding their rarer, philosophicalsounding cousins), ‘We’re not in Kansas anymore’ kept creeping back up in the conversation. That’s when we knew it was right, because everything else felt forced. The exhibition title needed to reflect the common theme within our work: humor flavoring a range of representational paintings. Even though our work is different in many ways, the title highlights the similarities.”
When “We’re Not in Kansas Anymore” opens to the public Friday May 27, three artists will be on display, including Armstrong and fellow painting majors, junior Jiyeon Pereira and senior Emily Parnell. Each artist’s approach to the subject and its narrative is unique, adding an element of intrigue to the show’s overall presentation and experience. Once again alluding to movies, almost all of Armstrong’s subjects in his work are actors in scenes from various films.
“Jiyeon’s figures are from photographs of people at a circus, painted with high saturation and expressively,” Armstrong said. “Emily’s work has an “X-Files” feel to it but more fun than spooky. We each tell stories differently.”
Armstrong teamed up with Pereira and Parnell as part of one of his final courses required in the painting undergraduate program, known as Senior Seminar. The course is designed to help students get their work out into the world by hosting a group exhibition in a local or pop-up gallery.
“The goal is to show that we can use everything we’ve learned at SCAD,” Armstrong said. “It’s interesting, because we were the final group put together. Not haphazardly though, because the class discussed formal and content issues between potential group members. The process is a little nerve wracking but entirely necessary. Some groups had already planned to be together, but I wanted to wait and see where I would fit best.”
Much of Armstrong’s work is what he considers nontraditional, in the sense that his painting is minimal and his materials are unconventional to his medium. Armstrong defended his methods by explaining how the imagery in his art then derives from printed or manufactured material, rather than brushwork.
“I’m also finding ways to use nontraditional materials like denim and polyester fabric in a painting context,” Armstrong said. “The simplest way is using those instead of canvas/linen, stretched on supports, but that really limits the material. Fabric has a lot of potential, and I’m just now starting to let it flow outside of painting’s more common flat and geometric surfaces.”
The work of “We’re Not in Kansas Anymore” contains a variety of materials Armstrong is both fascinated and inspired by. He finds this inspiration at stores such as Joann’s Fabrics and Home Depot where he can just walk through and “daydream about what could be made.”
“I read a lot of philosophy, and that definitely seeps into my creative process,” Armstrong said, speaking about his work. “Object relationships, cultural significance, recontextualization, you name it. Start a painting on a ‘For Sale’ sign, or use a Kate Winslet photo in a painting. What do you do next? It’s fun figuring that out and thinking about how one decision will lead to several other ones. Those are fun consequences. Every step I ask myself ‘why do that?’ I want to avoid feeling like I’m sleepwalking through a process, so I try to stay flexible for every decision. Habits and repetition still occur but it’s being conscious of it that matters.”
Following graduation next week, Armstrong plans to enter SCAD’s graduate program this coming fall, with hopes of someday teaching at the college level. Most of all, he wants to build connections and gain more experience in the world of art.
“I love learning from people and how they respond to what I’m doing,” Armstrong said. “Perspective is huge. I’m young, I’ll be 28 in July, and art plays a key role in my life. Since I’m in this for the long run, I should learn from those who have lived and breathed art for longer than I have.”
Written by Emilie Kefalas.
