my.CSMD
New Art Exhibit Opens at CSM La Plata Gallery: “Andrew Wodzianski is a Party Pooper”
Brightly colored character cake pans line the walls of the Tony Hungerford Memorial Art Gallery at CSM La Plata Campus.
In 'Andrew Wodzianski is a Party Pooper’ the artist challenges convention by transforming familiar pop-culture cake pans into works of art. These vintage cake pans evoke a sense of nostalgia and childhood birthday parties, but behind each pair of brightly painted eyes is a deeper message.
“On a superficial level you could come in, glance at these pieces, be attracted to the color and texture, and have a memory recall of the characters,” said artist Andrew Wodzianski. “But if you take a moment to investigate it becomes a little darker and nefarious.”
Wodzianski began collecting cake pans about eight years ago. What started as a local thrift store find, soon turned into a growing collection. Over time, he began to see how this collection could turn into a gallery show: a contrast between his own childhood experiences and what he sees through the eyes of his daughter.
In 'Green Lies,’ Oscar the Grouch peers grinning out of a blue recycling bin, a representation of a future conversation about consumerism and sustainability. Another piece, 'The Fortune Teller,’ displays the message ‘not good’ reflecting the artists’ heightened awareness of the fleeting nature of passing time as he imagines his child growing older.
This theme, Wodzianski said, made the exhibit much more personal.
“These cakes are either completely self-reflective, or they are future thinking about conversations I’m going to have with my daughter,” Wodzianski said. “It’s me having to confront childhood, in part through the lens of being a father. It became a lot more meaningful and profound to me.”
Wodzianski is a professor in the CSM Visual Arts program and teaches multiple courses including foundation-level color theory, and second-year painting. He said having his work on display can serve as an inspiration for his students and allows the opportunity to step outside the classroom to see artistic concepts in action, from color choices to the process of creating and marketing a full exhibition.
“It’s really important for students to see their educators practice what they preach,” Wodzianski said. “My strength as an educator lies in large part that I’m doing it. I’m in the trenches with them producing pieces.”
The Tony Hungerford Memorial Art Gallery, housed in the Hank Willoughby Foundation Center for the Arts (FA Building) on CSM’s La Plata campus, has three rotating exhibits throughout the year. Visiting artists are hosted in the spring and fall. The Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition is on display March 31 to May 5, which showcases pieces created by CSM students.
Wodzianski said the gallery can also give students access to new, outside styles and perspectives through visiting artists.
“They can spend time here, and it encourages revisitation,” Wodzianski said. “Gallery talks allow the opportunity for direct questions to the artists about the process and thought behind anything that wasn’t answered in the signage.”
Wodzianski will hold a Gallery Talk on February 12 at 2:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. ‘Andrew Wodzianski is a Party Pooper’ will be on display through March 26.