Every Tuesday afternoon we’re featuring the work of an artist in our community to support them in cultivating a new audience, to give voice to their oft-unknown studio practice, and to build a diverse roster which participants in the contemporary arts conversation might reference.

Gary A. Bibb

Gary A. Bibb was born in Wichita, Kansas and studied architecture at Kansas State University but discovered art to be more compelling. He received his BFA in Visual Art from Emporia State University – Emporia, KS. Most of his artistic career has been lived in Colorado and Southern California. He has exhibited both nationally and internationally. Furthermore, his art is represented in private and corporate collections along with being archived in the following museums and institutions:

Longview Museum of Fine Art – Longview, TX; Museum of Modern Art – NY, NY; Los Angeles County Museum of Art – LA, CA; Museu  Brasileiro da Escultura – Sao Paulo, Brazil; Museum of Modern Art: UK – Machylleth, Wales; The Shimamoto Art Lab – Nishinomiya, Japan; The  International Museum of Collage, Assemblage and Construction /  Fluxmuseum – Santa Fe, NM; University of California, Santa Barbara, The Hoffberg Archive – Santa Barbara, CA; Ohio State University-Columbus, OH; The National Institute of Art – Buenos Aires, Argentina; Long Island University – Brookville, NY; The Black Mountain College  Museum – Asheville, NC; Anne Arundel Community College, Fine Art Archive – Arnold, MD; The A. S. Popov Museum (Communication Art Collection) – St. Petersburg, Russia; University of Pannonia, Sziveri Janos Institute – Veszprem, Hungary; Cambrian College – Sudbury, Ontario, Canada; David Geffen School of Medicine (UCLA) – Los Angeles, CA

The occasion for us highlighting Gary A. Bibb’s work is his recent exhibition at Point Gallery, Denver CO. Point Gallery are presenting an 18 piece survey exhibition of found-object artworks called ‘The Redemption of Rubbish: Found Object Constructions and Installations’.

Bibb, on his exhibition:

Utilizing found-object materials in the construction of Fine Art has long been regarded as visually and metaphorically viable. For nearly a century, artists have collected non-art objects with the intent of incorporating them within their compositions. The results have repeatedly proven that the creative process of selection, signification and organization can elevate even the most humble scraps of human detritus into beautiful, majestic forms.

While foraging back-alleys and industrial sites for unusual pieces of paper, I discovered an affinity for the found-objects most commonly regarded as trash. There was something significant, authentic and genuine about the discarded rubbish. Although rejected and deemed valueless, it appeared the found-objects were attempting to resist the ravages of time and maintain a sense of dignity. A metaphor was forming. These scraps of paper, cardboard, wood and metal were beginning to symbolize the concept of intrinsic value and the noble character of perseverance. I came to realize that through artistic intervention, discarded items could be transformed into expressions of renewed purpose, hope and beauty.

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The utilization of found-objects to express an aesthetic ideology remains integral to my artistic intent. Incorporating collected items, along with various media and techniques, expands my visual vocabulary and adds an objective dimension to my art. Therefore, the ideas expressed are not merely limited to the realm of ethereal thought [concepts] but also enter into the viewer’s tangible reality.

More of Gary A. Bibb’s work can be seen by visiting his website. Gary’s work is also currently on display in the  international exhibit: “Mash Up: Collages in Mixed Media” curated by Stephen Lamia, Ph.D. (Dowling College) at the Islip Art Museum in East Islip, New York (Long Island).