The Conglomerate, October 29, 2004, Volume
99, Issue 5, p. 7
Alum Shows Interactive Art Exhibit
Ashley Young
A&E Editor
Joanna Tagert's current art exhibit,
"Extroverted Scar Tissue," invites her audience to
not only interact with her art, but to add a personal item to
the exhibit before they leave. Tagert, a recent Centenary
graduate, is displaying her latest collection of mixed-media
artwork at Prima Tazza Coffee Shop on Line Avenue through
November 12. The collection is highly personal and emotional,
resulting in visitors feeling as if they have interacted with
the artist herself after exploring these expressive pieces.
Many elements of Tagert's artwork make
this exhibit an intimate experience- the poetry she
incorporates with the visual imagery, personal items such as a
prescription bottle for an antidepressant, and the varied
textures that cause the viewer to want to touch the pieces. Two
particularly personal pieces, Sanctuary 1 and Sanctuary 2, are
sculptures (in the shape of tombstones) that contain items such
as the prescription bottle with Tagert's name clearly printed
on it, jewelry, and a photograph of what is presumably Tagert
with an ex-boyfriend. These sculptures serve as windows to
difficult times in Tagert's life. The text on them reads:
"My madness became my sanctuary…my demons my
savior."
Another intimate piece,
"Corsete," features a small sculpture of a corset
attached to a textured, rose-colored canvas that is covered
with phrases from a French poem. When asked about the meaning
of the piece, Tagert explained: "The text from
"Corsete" was written by my friend (and fellow
Centenary alum) Melissa Duplantis- she wrote it about the
relationship she was in at the time and translated it into
English as she read it to me. It [the poem] spoke to me. There
is no English translation for the poem because so much is
embedded in the French, but in it the narrator addresses her
lover as her "corsete."
Three paintings in the exhibit are covered
with black cloth- visitors are urged not to life the cloth if
they dislike controversial art. These pieces mix religious
imagery with social commentary about abortion, accidental
pregnancy, and suicide. While Tagert states that she has never
had any complaints about these three paintings in the past, she
respects Prima Tazza's desire to avoid offending any patrons.
Tagert's interactive "Altar I"
seems to be the audience favorite of this exhibit. It is a box
that has the picture of a male nude torso on the front. The
canvas covering the place where the man's heart would be has
been ripped open, leaving a hole to place things inside the
box. A sign hanging from the box asks visitors, "What do
you carry that shows what is inside of you?" Many visitors
have placed personal items inside the box. At the time I
visited, the contents included a small caricature, an Everquest
game card, and a small charm in the shape of a high-heeled
shoe.
Tagert says that the inspiration for
"Altar I" came "primarily from my belief that
common objects can absorb and retain spiritual energy, thereby
becoming relics or talismans. The 'altar' serves as a reliquary
for these objects and draws attention to their nature when the
viewer places his item in the sculpture and feels that he has
made a mark on his surroundings".
Far from being neutral, "Extroverted
Scar Tissue" is an exhibit that arrests the viewer's
attention. While the predominantly dark colors and sometimes
anguished messages in this exhibit may not be palatable to all
art consumers, the creativity, textures, and emotions that
these pieces offer make them not only discussion-worthy, but
memorable.
Joanna Tagert graduated with a B.A. in Art
from Centenary in 2003. She is a graphic designer for
Kilpatrick Life Insurance. For more on Ms. Tagert's artwork,
visit www.tagertart.com.