Andy Messerschmidt : Psycho-Babel
3rd Floor Emerging Artist Series
November 17, 2011 – January 15, 2012
Atrium Gallery
In many of his works, Andy Messerschmidt focuses on historical and archetypal religious architectural schematics, containing recognizable elements culled from cathedrals, stupas, temples, mosques and shrines. These elements are layered atop each other to create dense structures in Bird’s Eye, Sectional and Axonometric renderings. Each of these structures was designed utilizing elements to encourage an optimal relationship with the divine, from cardinal directions and proportions of Phi to geodesic molecular theories evident in a space such as Epcot Center. These spiritual architectures act upon the viewer with a subliminal magnetic pull. Attraction of devotees is at the center of any religious group throughout history. Similarly, art most often operates by these same ineffable yet predictable principles of attraction.
Artist Biography
Andy Messerschmidt was born in Manito, IL, and currently lives and works in Ely, MN. He received his MFA from the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN) in 2002, and his BFA from Milikin University (Decatur, IL) in 1999. Recent exhibitions include Batten Down The Blood, Franklin Artworks (Minneapolis, MN); Crackpot Crystallomancy, Plane-Space (New York, NY); Painting Zombies - Attack Ebisu, Katherine Nash Gallery, University of Minnesota, (Minneapolis, MN); GM10: A Theory of Values, The Soap Factory (Minneapolis, MN), and Ohne Titel, Galerie Andreas Bruening (Dusseldorf, Germany).
Image: Black Balloons, 2010
Ink, graphite, patchouli oil on routered MDF, 40" diameter
3rd Floor Emerging Artist Series
Rochester Art Center continually strives to engage community members of all ages in the creation, contemplation, and appreciation of the visual arts. As a non-collecting institution, the Art Center focuses it efforts on presenting temporary exhibitions throughout the year featuring established local, national and international artists, as well as emerging artists from diverse backgrounds working in a variety of media.
In 2004, Rochester Art Center initiated the 3rd Floor Emerging Artist Series—an exhibition program dedicated to promising young artists working in the state of Minnesota. Since its inception, the series has reflected shifting trends in contemporary artistic practice and production, and has helped to facilitate the creation of new bodies of work in a variety of media including photography, installation, sound, painting, drawing, sculpture and film. Now entering our sixth year, the 3rd Floor Emerging Artist Series continues to support emerging artists and to provide a dedicated forum for the exhibition of exciting new work.
The 3rd Floor Emerging Artist Series is made possible through funding by The Jerome Foundation.