I recently attended an exhibit being put on by Kent State’s Downtown Gallery, on E Main St. I went on a day I had free time in between my classes, so granted, I rushed myself quite a bit. 

Upon my arrival at the gallery that had just opened, I was welcomed by Jamie Kessler’s exhibit, “Problem Child,” which featured works from her Urban South collection. Urban South’s statement mentions its goal of exploring thematic connections between history and the abstraction of philosophical existentialism. 

I stared deeply into the pieces she had chosen to create her exhibit here in this gallery. Kessler’s process featured the dyeing of the canvas, some raw, some primed. Select pieces featured LED lights surrounding them, including Lady Liberty, Lady Justice, and Nike, the Goddess of Victory at the Mercy of the Courts. Others had cans of collard greens lined up in front of the piece.

I was with an acquaintance, who is a member of the School of Art, so we, of course, bounced our opinions off each other. The resounding reaction to this is that we did not truly understand the artwork. We understood the meaning, but the connection from thought into something tangible, like paint on her unprimed canvases, was not there. I had a hard time connecting how colors on a canvas can represent all of these abstract feelings that she had expected us to know as artists.

Another issue is that these titles were far too explicit in meaning.

A large part of what some people enjoy about art is when the opportunity arises to leave the idea/interpretation up to the viewer, allowing for space and freedom in its meaning to flow within the onlooker. We see this in early abstract expressionist artists who were trying to break the “rules” of art, creating a rebellious atmosphere and also inspiring the mind to use the canvas to imagine the ideas at hand. 

This exhibit, however, left no room for interpretation, despite its abstract-expressionist color field inspiration. It felt as if we were supposed to have already known what she had experienced before attending the exhibition.

Nonetheless, Jamie Kessler put on a fantastic, rebellious, and challenging display of her artistry. 

Sometimes art is not always meant to be understood. Sometimes, art is incredibly personal and based on individual life experiences, and that is a huge part of understanding and being able to approach, appreciate, and understand what art is.

Karmyn Allen is a Columnist. Contact her at [email protected]