Dispatches From the Iowa Booth
Excerpt from the foreword written for the Object Permanence catalog written by Opalka Gallery Director Judie Gilmore.
see complete foreword here
“……Mounting an exhibition in winter 2021 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic came with many challenges, chief of which was whether or not this show would even be seen by a public. Early in our conversations, both Terry and I knew we wanted to expand outside the physical space of the gallery (in case it was closed) and create a way for a virtual audience to participate. Conrad’s solution was to center the exhibition around a large installation that would serve as a portal. His Iowa Booth became a lively backdrop for a series of artist-curated, virtual presentations of artists, musicians, and scientists. The design was based on a vintage voting booth Conrad found after purchasing an old firehouse. He was drawn to the simple wood structure with canvas sides that could be assembled quickly, transported flat, and yet created a physical site for the most fundamental action of democracy.
I highlight the Iowa Booth because it eloquently demonstrates Conrad’s interest in transforming simple things into meaningful things. This sort of alchemy is at the heart of his practice. Found objects make elegant prints. Tin cans create biomorphic shapes. A wood and canvas booth creates a virtual community. Conrad’s work expands the possibilities of what things can be, what things can do, what things shoulddo, and in doing so, it projects a radical optimism…..”
