Image via Real Tinsel
As we all try to move past the Age of Pandemic in a quest to return to some sense of normalcy, Real Tinsel Gallery is highlighting the “cabin fever” that settled in—in a creative way.
“Cabin Fever: Wild Ideas from a Regrettable Year” is a group show currently on exhibit and features “strokes of genius, idealistic fantasies, forgettable flights of fancy, epic fails, and other half-cocked creations born in a year of broken continuity and human folly” according to the exhibit’s description.
Real Tinsel Gallery owner Shane McAdams discusses his “creative emancipation” during the pandemic, his pursuit of “irrational pandemic decision making” and showcasing new artists in the coming months.
What did you literally do with Real Tinsel once the pandemic hit?
I was actually hanging a show in anticipation of an opening reception on March 13, 2020. During the install, I had several conversations with friends and colleagues on the phone, listened to some segments on the news, and by the time I was finishing up, I’d decided it was wise to postpone the show. The exhibition was basically a single frieze of drawings at eye level on the wall and remained half-hung through the duration of the pandemic. When I finally went to deinstall the work and return the show to the artist several months ago, the whole scene reminded me of Pompeii, so caught-mid-act and redirected. I almost couldn't face it.
Did you spend your time during the pandemic? Work on your own art? Watch the kids? All of the above?
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I worked on new paintings with a freedom only an extended snow day or a pandemic can afford. Like a lot of artists, I carry a little guilt for feeling so creatively emancipated by circumstances that were so restrictive and dangerous for others. But I would be lying if I said the pandemic was a drag on creativity.
What made you decide to open now with ‘Cabin Fever’ How did you take the idea/concept and then develop it for the eventual opening?
We had been anticipating opening for many months–one had a lot of time during the pandemic to imagine how they'd reemerge when the time came. My thought was to attack the situation head-on and show all the half-cocked strokes of near genius we all had while cooped up and a little stir crazy.
Tell us about what’s in the exhibit i.e. your own work, other artists work?
The show is called "Cabin Fever: Wild Ideas from a Regrettable Year" It's a group show featuring every kind of creative project by both artists and non-artists. I said when I first came up with the idea that I wanted a “loose parrot” and a “truculent roommate” in the show ... meaning I wanted extremes of irrational pandemic decision making. I didn’t get any birds, but I did get dried flowers, an accordion, mix tapes, and other divergent projects, so I was happy.
How has your approach to the gallery and art overall since the pandemic? Are there things you will be doing differently for the gallery based on the time away given the past 14 to 15 months?
Not really, I have a pretty clear vision of what we're planning for the next year or two. We have a show called “Time Plus Tragedy: Art as Comedy in Five Acts,” opening in October and I’ve been working on that for years. A little pandemic wasn't going to derail that. The changes will come in how I personally carry myself. I realize I like people; I need people around. Our first reception with people reminded me of how many good folks come around to our space, and I think I'll appreciate them going forward more than I ever did before.
Based on the time away from your gallery, are there things that you will be doing differently in the future regarding the gallery and future exhibits?
We are really hoping to add new artists to the flat files and get them into the public's imagination a bit more. I think I’ll concentrate on that in the next few months. But otherwise, it's full speed ahead with the programming we were dancing with in March of 2020, before the “record scratched and skipped” for 15 months.
“Cabin Fever: Wild Ideas from a Regrettable Year” runs through August 1 at Real Tinsel Gallery, 104 West Historical Mitchell St. For more information, visit www.realtinsel.com
