Bright colors and textures abound in the new exhibit “Not in Love with the Modern World” curated by Visiting Assistant Professor of Art & Art History Amy Boone-McCreesh. The nine featured artists, the curator and students attended the opening last Thursday, which included talks and a Q&A with the artists. 

Boone-McCreesh compiled sculpture, paintings and fiber art from artists at all stages of their careers. She said that she aims to level the playing field in art by disrupting the hierarchy of self-taught vs professionally-trained artists. 

Boone-McCreesh mentions in the exhibit description that the bright colors and variety of surfaces and materials manipulated by the artists are evidence of and rejection of the “overload of visual information” in the world today. “Sweet Jesus and My Restless Heart,” a fiber and ceramic piece by Jenny Reed, is the perfect example of this visual overload. An amalgamation of colorful everyday objects including a frog Squishmallow are arranged together in a shrine-like fashion, evoking confusion and curiosity at the same time.

Modernity shines through especially in Gracelee Lawrence’s fruits morphed with human forms that she 3D-printed. As a relatively new medium in the arts scene, 3D printing allows artists like Lawrence to test boundaries and branch into new styles. 

Lolo Gem’s two paintings fit the bright color palette with their inspiration from cartoons. Her work “TickTockTickTock,” which depicts an exploding alarm clock, also brings up a more ominous undertone, potentially of the overwhelmingness of our modern world. 

“Not in Love with the Modern World” is lighthearted on the surface, but upon further inspection dives into the difficulties of living in the present. The show runs from Feb. 2 to 25 at the Goodyear Gallery.