Big, Heavy, Other: Recent Work by Phil Lonergan
Kelsey Davis
News Editor Elect
kld1009@plymouth.edu
With technology taking over so many aspects of everyday life, how can handmade art be considered a reflection of society? This question is the force behind Phil Lonergan’s exhibit, Big, Heavy, Other, on display now in PSU’s Karl Drerup Art Gallery.
Many works on display were designed on a computer and then assembled by hand.
“[Handmade art is] not something to be mourned, but simply to be acknowledged,” said Lonergan.
“Technology is rapidly becoming a centerpiece in our daily lives, and art needs to be a reflection of that. When people complain about the loss of a personal connection, I say, we all came here today by car instead of walking or riding a horse. This exhibit is an acknowledgment of that change.”
Many of the exhibits on display are made from a combination of mediums like wood and metal. Some are made of plastic and were printed using a 3-D printer. The works are a meld of old and new techniques. The goal of the viewer to understand that both are beautiful, both are represented in the world around us, and neither is better than the other.
The exhibit is on display in the Karl Drerup Gallery until April 4.
CLOCK PHOTO/ ALICE REED