Social or Not?

I just love it when an exhibit makes you want to go back again and again as well as think about it all throughout the day.

A fantastic exhibition just like that  is currently at the Visual Arts Center in Richmond Virginia until August 14th.

What makes it so fantastic (in my opinion) is the way Social deftly combines social commentary on a subject that deeply affects us all (whether we use social media or not) with a high degree of craftsmanship, and a delightful interplay between the two along with an out of time experience.

This fused glass mobile by Charlotte Potter, looks like a 19th century cameo brooches but really represents all the pending friend requests she has on her FB account.  Hence is concept of hanging...

This one represents an on-line romance played out as a chained conversation in etched glass.

While this may not look interactive, this piece below by Lucy Louise Derickerson, asks the artist's FB friends to come visit her at the gallery so that she can put the metal box she made for them in their hand herself,

You might see, if you look closely enough that some have and so the only box is gone and the mini shelf with a QR code to their particular FB page remains.

This last artist's work, I found the most playful. Ariel Brice uses the thumbs up logo for FB as a repeating three dimensional form to show both acceptance and then turns it upside down in another color to express displeasure.  

All of this is great food for thought as I go into my studio or click on my mouse!