Invited artist: JOSEPHINE DURKIN
​Bouquet (“Jem…truly outrageous”)
2023
Linoleum, paper, canvas, thread, graphite, spray paint, acrylic, watercolor crayon and screws
12 x 12 x 3/4 in.
Bouquet (Jem, TrulyOutrageous) is created from leftover scrap material from the making and/or material exploration required by earlier or concurring projects. Some of the parts have been pinned or screwed to my studio walls for years-and serve as visual inspiration and technical tests (reminder via sample: I have an abundance of slightly painted vinyl floor cut outs, and yes, they can be sewn on the machine...) as well as physical material, if/when needed, available for new compositions. Work in the Bouquet series include assemblages of a variety of materials and tests. The residue is analogous to different stems from a multitude of floral species, grown in different locations at different times, selected and pieced together to create an arrangement. For example, the vinyl cut-outs were made about seven years ago when creating a cast drawing inspired by an earlier wall drawing. Some were then sewn in more recent years when considering construction options for another project, and then lived on my walls or in drawers until needed. The graphite on paper, however, came from a technical test made just days ago. The source material for much of my work is generated directly from an abundance of trial and error-all of it driven by curiosity. The title references the neon color palette shared by this object and the cartoon, Jem and the Holograms from the 80s. I wasn't so much a fan of the cartoon itself, but adored the colors, Jem as a character, and the theme song.All were, and remain, wonderfully and purposefully "...truly outrageous".
Josephine Durkin’s research and studio practice has involved the creation of works on paper, videos, sculptures, and kinetic installations. Recent works include large wall drawings, hollow, pigmented, plastic casts of studio residue-such as fabric remnants, bubble wrap, and wooden scrap material, as well as sewn, paper collages constructed primarily of torn drawings, and photographs of earlier projects and travel. Regardless of format, the making of images, objects, and installations feed future projects, as each derives from the production and documentation of previous works. Josephine is an Associate Professor of Art at Texas A&M University–Commerce, where she teaches 3-D Design, Sculpture, Experimental Concepts, and EAST (Empathy Art Science andTechnology) Studio: Prosthetics for Animals with Mobility Challenges. Josephine was a guest speaker and panel member for Texelectronica at the Museum of Modern Art in Fort Worth, a guest lecturer and panel member forMatter Matters at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and has been a visiting artist at various institutions including Gallaudet in Washington D.C.,Sam Houston State, Wichita State University, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, University of North Texas, and UT Dallas. She has shown in Austria, Ontario, and extensively in the United States. Solo exhibitions include those at the Ulrich Museum of Art in Wichita, Kansas, Lawndale Art Center in Houston, Texas, Dallas Contemporary, Erin Cluley Gallery, TheBox Company, and Cris Worley Fine Arts in Dallas, Texas. Josephine holds a BFA in Sculpture from Virginia Commonwealth University and an MFA inSculpture from Yale University. She has also studied at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C. and the Lorenzo de Medici School of Art in Florence, Italy. Her work has been featured in multiple publications including Texas Arts and Culture, Dallas Observer, Dallas Morning News, Paper City, The Economist, and Luxe Interiors + Design.