By Claire Van Zee | Reporter
The downtown art gallery and event space, Cultivate 7twelve will kick off the month with a new, interactive exhibition titled “Intersecture” from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. today.
Multimedia artists Morgan Eyring and Karina Thome hope to examine the intersections between architecture and contemporary art with their new space -transforming exhibit, which will be open for the rest of February.
Through this installation, the pair aim to diminish the harsh boundary separating art and architecture.
“By getting rid of those defining lines, we can start to see the art for its true essence, how it actually affects the environment around it and how we interact with that environment a little differently as a result,” Thome said.
Upon entering the gallery, the space has been transformed from its typical parallel-framed gallery style layout, to looking like an entirely different space altogether. With elaborate wooden frames intertwined with canvas paintings and angular tunnel arches drilled into the wall, the exhibit is a full interactive and visual experience.
“You walk into this space we’ve created and it’s no longer just a normal space it feels completely different,” Eyring said.
Through the combination of painting and structuralism, Thome has an idea of the exact feeling she hopes people will walk away with.
“Have you ever been on a mountain and you look across and feel like you’re not really there anymore? You have a relationship with the landscape that makes you feel a little bit out of body?” Thome asked.
She is aiming for people to have a connection with the work that makes them forget about any preconceived notions they may have had about art before.
“I want people to feel an overwhelming sensation from the work itself, and the environment around it — a whole immersive experience,” Thome said.
The exhibit is separated into two rooms. The front showcases Thome’s wooden canvas creation while the back displays Eyring’s metal and miscellaneous materials creation.
While the two are connected by a tunnel made of both wood and metal, there is an observable contrast in style between the two rooms.
“I think we should both have the freedom to work with the concept and both do our own takes on it with our own styles,” Thome said.
The intricacy of the exhibit is reflective of the artists’ “think big” mentality.
“We make art because of the satisfaction of seeing something in your mind and actually bringing it to life,” Eyring said.
As two busy women with full-time jobs, finding free time to create isn’t always easy, but Eyring said they still find the time and make it work.
“When you know you can take an idea from many other ideas, and put the pieces together to make it happen, then what’s stopping you from solving the world’s biggest problems?” Thome said.
The doors are set to open at 6 p.m. today, with a musical performance by violinist Marion DuBose.
