These artworks are peculiar and surprising indeed
Any number of parents over the years have probably snapped to their children that gummy bears do not count as real food. And if they need proof of that, they might schedule an outing to the City of Brea Art Gallery this month.
Among the pieces on display in “Curious Mediums: Peculiar and Surprising Works of Art,” the gallery’s new exhibit, are a series of gummy sculptures by YaYa Chou. The Glendale-based artist, whose entries at the gallery include a chandelier and a dinosaur family, hit upon the idea years ago when perusing the inexpensive goods in a store.
“The idea just came from the fact that they look so much like beads, like decorations,” Chou said. “They don’t look like something edible to me.”
Not that Chou works entirely with artificial foods. Another of her pieces in the Brea show consists of wall drawings pieced together with dried chili peppers.
“Curious Mediums,” which opened May 30 and closes July 12, brings together works by 15 artists who used unconventional materials. Olga Lah’s installation “Array” features a cavernous enclosure with walls made of brightly colored sponges. Cristina Velazquez combined dresses with other items, including kitchen utensils, measuring tapes and stuffed dolls, to represent the jobs expected of women.
Christina Mercer, the gallery’s director and co-curator of “Curious Mediums,” said she was inspired to organize the show after gauging visitors’ enthusiasm for offbeat shows in the past — for example, 2013’s “PaperWorks,” which featured works made with unadorned paper, and 2014’s “Rare Glimpse,” a collection of works not exhibited in Orange County before.
“Our visitors really seemed to enjoy that playfulness,” Mercer said. “We also did a super-small show that you had look at with a magnifying glass. That novelty, that surprise and unexpectedness, seemed to be a really great aspect that our visitors were really enjoying.”
To scout artists for “Curious Mediums,” Mercer went online, sometimes even typing in search phrases such as “artwork made of office supplies.” With the gallery’s shipping budget limited, most of the artists came from California, although some pieces came from as far away as New York.
Chou, for her part, has exhibited her gummy works nationwide over the last decade. The artist is keen to note that her materials shouldn’t be eaten, however tasty they may look. She coats them with acrylics to ensure a longer shelf life.
Still, Mercer noted, “We did go ahead and serve gummy bears at the opening reception.”
If You Go
What: “Curious Mediums: Peculiar and Surprising Works of Art”
Where: City of Brea Art Gallery, 1 Civic Center Circle, Brea
When: Noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays until July 12
Cost: $2 adults, children under 12 free
Information: (714) 990-7731 or breagallery.com