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April 2009 Artists Bring Profound Perspective on Difficult Times |
 An interview intended to be a brief information gathering session about two artists and their latest work, turned into an hour long conversation on topics ranging from prenatal vitamins to the current state of the U.S. economy. Artists, Ian Thomas and Shree Joglekar used art to offer thought-provoking insight into the American culture and value systems at a recent exhibit, Small Packages, Big Time, which was displayed at Philosophy Gallery and Pinecone Gallery in Paducah's LowerTown Arts District on March 19.
 Thomas arrived in Paducah in early March to participate in the Paducah Arts Alliance's Artist in Residence program. He was given four weeks to create an installation that would be open to the public, while providing creative energy to artists in Paducah's LowerTown Arts District. Thomas collaborated with Joglekar on an installation that gave commentary on the current economic and social challenges facing Americans today.
Before arriving in Paducah, Thomas, a resident of Pennsylvania, attended graduate school at Texas Tech, with Joglekar. Both artists received their Master of Fine Arts degrees in 2006. This relationship was the beginning of what would one day provide inspiration to their collaborative work.  The installation takes an abstract approach to addressing social and economic issues facing Americans today. The installation communicates two ideas. The first idea being that seemingly insignificant events and objects can have big impacts on individuals and societies. The second idea represented in the work addresses Americans' overdependence on various types of supplements in order to live a "normal" life.
Thomas reflected on what inspired him to do this project.  "When my wife became pregnant with our son she began taking pre-natal vitamins. It blows my mind that my son needed supplements before he was even born because my wife could not produce all that he needed," said Thomas. "It made me realize how large of an impact things that seem so insignificant can have."
Thomas went on to talk about how American society's dependence on certain types of medication has grown to unhealthy levels in certain cases. He spoke about personal experiences he has had in watching friends and relatives go from the use of simple pain relievers, such as Tylenol, to more destructive medications such as oxycontin and even heroin.  In the first half of the exhibit, Small Packages, Thomas created oversized pills to demonstrate an exaggerated connection Americans have to pharmaceuticals. Joglekar, a native of India, commented on how surprised he was at how dependent Americans are on medication for even the simplest pain relief. Thomas and Joglekar are not opposed to medication being used, as needed, and under the appropriate medical supervision. Both recognize that there is a place for pharmaceuticals such as pain relievers and psychotropic drugs. However, both are fascinated by how quickly these small pills can turn into addictions for some. "You hear people say 'it's just a pill,'" said Thomas. "But I've seen instances where people have started taking oxycontin, then they start snorting it, and then they begin snorting heroin." The second half of the exhibit, Big Time, offers thoughts on how expendable the items Americans own really are. The culture has become such a "throw away" society, that most take for granted a simple iron, or a razor. Americans have become so accustomed to throwing away and buying new that when forced to leave one's home through foreclosures and other unfortunate circumstances, it becomes quickly apparent that humans need very little to truly survive.  Joglekar, a native from India, noticed a big difference from Indian culture to American culture. "In India there is perpetual poverty. Your thinking is always skewed because we are always preparing for disaster. My family did not take vacations. However, Americans have such a different history. There has been so much uninterrupted prosperity that they tend to think their choices are not going to matter," said Joglekar. "Even commercials tell Americans that they 'deserve it', when in a lot of cases they actually deserve better." Joglekar teaches at the Victoria College in Victoria, TX.. Thomas works as a potter and ceramicist, traveling to teach workshops across the United States. Both continue to diversify their skill sets in order to continue their success as artists. They encourage other young, emerging artists to do the same in order to continue growing as artists. "Be aggressive. Even small schools sometimes have money for workshops. You just have to ask," said Thomas. "Always look for more opportunities." |
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