Rather than a traditional opening, Nomnom, a food-centric group show featuring ten artists, opened the night of #Nocturne2023. The gallery was filled with festival goers who were looking for a fast food collage from the 'Nomnom Truck', the interactive installation created for the event. Three artists created collage from pre-cut ingredients all night for more than 300 visitors.
Nomnom, running from October 14-November 8th during regular gallery hours features work from Kim Hirtle, Nicole Leroy, Rhonda Barrett, Fraya McDougall, Peter Crouse, Susan Wakal, Jen Worden. Erin Turcotte, Jay Hodgson and Jen McGowan. There is a fabulous mix between 2D collage and 3D assemblage.
There are the playful and bright collage and acrylics on canvas from Kim Hirtle with a plethora of food stuffs used as imagery and textures within the works. Nicole Leroy also went with a bold hot pink and an organically cut wood panel that serves up a collage and acrylic meal for the senses.
Fraya McDougall provided a dreamy color scape featuring imagery that may be well suited in the story of Adam and Eve entitled 'Paradise'. Shown to the left.
Rhonda Barrett, taking tools from the kitchen, added three utensils with warnings about food waste and environmental issues caused by our food production. Peter Crouse used the idea of a carton of eggs to create a series called 'Fresh Eggs and False Prophets' on 4x12 panels with additions of rope, paint stick, tent peg and cloth. One features a partial quote from 'Macbeth'; 'What! you egg.' Stabbing him' and features the tent peg which can be hidden within the panel or pulled out in the more menacing placement.
Susan Wakal decided to use the royal family and the movement of the monarchy from a Queen to King led entity to inspire some works that feature vintage tea packaging, coupons, and imagery of the late Queen Elizabeth coupled with a useful description for each work that provides a lesson in etiquette to the new King, Charles. Framed as one would expect royalty to be framed, in gold, these six pieces look fabulous hung as a group. Shown to the right is 'Liz's Jello'.
Erin Turcotte has worked the imagery found in Vegetarian Times Magazine into a larger collage highlighting the colors of green and yellow and the zesty lemon. Jay Hodgson worked the theme of consuming food into a work called 'Bite Me' where the subject matter and scale were used to create a fun framed collage. Jen McGowan and Jen Worden took two different approaches to the call for submissions. McGowan, using digital imagery, created four minimalistic works using vintage female representations and the clever placement of food items to create a series of work that is sure to bring a smile to your face. Worden on the other hand, used assemblage to bring together a vintage knife set, quotes about eating peas and honey on the case, and knives on each of the knife blades with broken china shards, beads, feather and bullet casings to build an object that is delightful and tasteful.
No matter which piece you look at, it is a delicious assortment of artworks that arrived here in #HalifaxNS and will be fresh until it's expiry date of November 8th. Get it while it's hot!