Greely Myatt
“having said that”
 |
| Having Said That, reclaimed signage, plastic, metal |
David Lusk Gallery
Nashville, TN
April 3 – 26, 2014
Visitors were welcomed into Myatt’s recent exhibition
“having said that” with work of the same title, Having Said That, a wall sculpture made of reclaimed signage and
lighting. The words have a sense of transition, as if going from one thought
into another of an opposite nature. Other than that simple, yet imposing
phrase, the remainder of the dialogue was left mostly to the viewer.
 |
| Oh $#*t, reclaimed shop table, wax, aluminum |
 |
| Untitled Page (Hagar), Untitled Page (Beetle Bailey), painted and polished steel, air |
An image list included “air” as a medium for a majority of
the work, referencing the space that conversations take place in with an
ambiguity that makes all ideas possible. This space in which dialogue occurs is
symbolized in Myatt’s work as the conversation cloud, originating from comic
strips and developed further in Pop Art. The motif is alluded to directly with
his metal wall sculptures Untitled Page
(Hagar) and Untitled Page (Beetle
Bailey). These clouds were found extensively
in the exhibition including the large steel sculpture Snake Oil. Other word play included the sculpture Verb, a reference to Myatt’s
well-documented attitude that “art is a verb”, the action of movement and
creation.
 |
| Snake Oil, steel, air (left) ReTreat, cookie tins (left) |
Artwork by Myatt is created with common and repurposed materials
like wooden tables, metal and napkins for this exhibition. Throughout his career, his materials have
included nearly any household material from spray foam to cookie tins in ReTreat, a large thought-bubble-turned-question-mark.
This play with material and personal creative process are a self-reference to the
artist’s attitude about art being a verb and his personal background of rural
Mississippi. His strong regionalism gives him firm ground of sources and while
simultaneously demonstrating a larger scope of influence and unique synthesis
for a broad perspective.
 |
| Exhibition view |
davidluskgallery.com
