Strange Minds: Art Show at The Greenhouse Cabaret
Isn’t life strange?
Inexplicable things happen on a daily basis inside our own very skulls.
No one has yet to grasp or understand what exactly consciousness is or where it comes from, yet it is the very thing that propels us through these strange days and colors our every experience.
For my new body of work, I teamed up with Bend’s best theatre, The Greenhouse Cabaret, to explore the theme of life’s strangeness with a particular focus on the psyche, all through the lens of their latest production, Little Shop of Horrors.
This upcoming show is titled Strange Minds and will be on display at The Cabaret for the full run of Little Shop, from October 20th to November 11th.
Read below for the full artist statement, and even if you don’t care about art, you should definitely go for the performance!
STRANGE MINDS
2023
Spring Break Jake
www.springbreakjake.com
Artist Statement
STRANGE MINDS is an abstract, textural, & illustrative body of mixed media paintings, ranging from large, handmade wood panels to smaller works on paper, inspired by the many motifs throughout the musical Little Shop of Horrors.
One subtle, recurring theme that appears lyrically multiple times is simply the strangeness of it all. Everything from the “strange plant” to our strange ways, strange minds, and strange times permeate the plot while touching on the intricate & strange landscape being explored in the psyche of the characters. It’s through this conscious exploration that Spring Break Jake derived these works as a way to delve deeper into the many shades of mental health.
Drawing inspiration from the often macabre subject matter of artists like Josh Smith and Nathan Kostechko, as well as the textures & richness of works by Jack Kabangu and Hyangmok Baik, the thick, textural layers and mixed media approach of STRANGE MINDS draw parallels between the vivid, layered emotions of 'Little Shop' and the multifaceted nature of our own mental scenery.
Stark symbols of reaching out for help emerge, reflecting the crucial role of seeking support in the face of overwhelming challenges while mirroring Seymour’s desperate grasp at self-love & confidence. His arc highlights the significance of self-worth on our mental state, demonstrating how a lack of belief in ourselves can lead us to make choices that compromise our values and stability.
Through this visual journey, Spring Break Jake aims to evoke empathy, ignite meaningful discourse, and encourage introspection into the intricate dimensions of mental health. Much like each character, each painting tells a unique story, weaving together the various glimpses into their, and ultimately our own, inner worlds, urging viewers to explore, understand, and ultimately heal.
Details:
The Greenhouse Cabaret
1017 NW 2nd St.
Bend, OR 97701
On view Oct. 20 - Nov. 11, 2023
Little Shop of Horrors
Opening Night: Oct. 20, 7:30pm