New art exhibition 'Juxtaposition' opens at UC Blue Ash

The UC Blue Ash College Art Gallery is pleased to present Juxtaposition, an exhibition of painting and sculpture in which the artworks are assembled from various unrelated elements, in the manner of a collage, to create surprising and deeply poetic combinations. 

The exhibition features the works of three local artists. Jennifer Acus-Smith, of Hamilton, Ohio, produces small-scale works in wooden and glass boxes derived from found and repurposed materials. Sam Dorgan, also of Hamilton, presents sculptural works created from plastic foam, familiar household objects and video screens that morph into strange creatures from dreamlike memories. Casey Dressell, of Cincinnati, creates “painting shelters” using mixed media on large canvas and cotton sheets, that are then installed with wooden struts against the wall, which thrusts them spatially into the room. 

“All three artists’ work is focused on the mundane objects we carry with us – and leave behind upon death – that have the ability to tell stories,” said Nicole Trimble, exhibition curator and UC Blue Ash electronic media professor. 

H. Michael Sanders, professor and chair of the Electronic Media Communications Department at UC Blue Ash, said the art show is designed to make visitors reflective.

“It’s our hope that through their encounters viewers will attempt to discern the rich and varied implications embedded in the work, and to venture into the interpretive landscape carved out by these fertile impressions of memory, thought and personal expression,” Sanders said. 

The exhibition will be on view in the UC Blue Ash Art Gallery through Dec. 6. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A full-color print catalogue of the exhibition is available to visitors in the gallery. Admission is free. 

An opening reception for the exhibition, with the artists in attendance, will open to the public with free refreshments, from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25. A Closing Reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6. Both receptions will be in the UCBA Art Gallery, located at 4131 Cooper Road in Blue Ash, Ohio. They are free and open to the public. 

More information about the exhibition is available on the UC Blue Ash College Art Gallery website.