Arnold Mesches: It’s a Circus is a poignant and powerful critique of current society. Mesches’ works, which include large paintings and framed color studies, feature figures and creatures that defy gravity as they float, flip, and fly through dream-like environments. This body of work is both technically strong and conceptually relevant to current society, as Mesches combines elements from carnivals and circuses with imagery from mass media to interpret current social and political issues. Jody Servon, Assistant Professor with Appalachian State University’s Department of Art and Director of the department’s Catherine J. Smith Gallery, serves as guest curator for this exhibition.
Arnold Mesches’ 113 solo exhibitions in galleries and museums have gained him national recognition and prominence. His work is housed in numerous private and public collections and is actively exhibited throughout the United States. Notably, his acclaimed exhibit, The FBI Files, is currently being toured by New York’s esteemed Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Mesches’ extensive career has spanned more than 60 years and includes teaching, exhibiting, and lecturing. He is currently on faculty with the Graduate Seminar in Painting and Drawing at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Jody Servon, Assistant Professor with Appalachian’s Department of Art and Director of the department’s Catherine J. Smith Gallery, serves as guest curator for It’s a Circus. She received a Master of Fine Arts from The University of Arizona in Tucson and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Prior to coming to Appalachian, Servon was the Curatorial Coordinator at the Palm Beach Institute of Contemporary Art and held positions at Rutgers Center for Innovative Print and Paper, National Gallery of Art, South Brunswick Board of Education and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. In addition to her curatorial and educational work, Servon is also a practicing artist, whose work has been included in exhibitions and screenings throughout the United States and Canada.
It’s a Circus 2 by Arnold Mesches (2004). Acrylic/canvas. Image courtesy of the artist.
