August 10, 2024 – September 7, 2024
Artist Reception
Saturday, August 17, 2024
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Artist Talk
Thursday, September 5, 2024
During September First Thursday
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Kolman & Reeb Gallery is pleased to present its next Project Space Grant exhibition, Interpreting the Invisible Universe: by Holly Streekstra. A conceptual artist, Holly works with multiple modes and forms of expression to investigate our subjective inner states, our relationship with wonder, and our desire for mystery and enchantment. In her work, created exclusively for Interpreting the Invisible Universe, she uses encaustic paint, photograms, and photo-based collages to investigate and explore images of deep space.
For her exhibition, Holly uses the publicly owned photographs captured by the James Webb Space Telescope as reference material. While studying the images for her show, Holly learned how astronomical telescopes capture images in the infrared, ultraviolet, X-rays, and radio wavelengths. While they provide valuable information about space objects, these wavelengths are not visible to the human eye. To construct the colorful photographs we see from space, scientists re-interpret this data, assigning colors to the various wavelengths through a process known as “false-color imaging” or “color mapping.” This technique highlights specific features and details that are otherwise invisible. This process is done primarily to make the scientific data accessible and engaging for the public.
Realizing how these wildly colorful, unbelievably beautiful space clouds are formulated through human interpretation, Holly was eager to expose the underlying truth.
To create her work for Interpreting the Invisible Universe, Holly uses these color-mapped images as a reference to form her own, unique interpretations of the data. She highlights the methods used to question the truth of the photos. She also intends to reveal our capacity to suspend disbelief as we gaze upon these depictions in unquestioning wonder and awe with little concern for accuracy or truth.
“Holly took full advantage of the resources provided by the Project Space grant,” says Anita Sue Kolman, Kolman & Reeb Gallery co-founder and co-partner. “In her grant proposal, Holly wanted to move her primary focus from the conceptual art she’s so well known for to more traditional, two-dimensional works that balance high-quality, idea-driven art with greater accessibility to art patrons. The pieces she created have a nice balance between an abstract use of color and form mixed with keenly representational images. The result, I think, are beautiful and collectible artworks.”
Jodi Reeb, gallery curator and co-partner, comments, “Holly’s work is highly conceptual in nature, so I am excited to see Holly explore creating photograms and paintings that emulate space for her show at Kolman & Reeb Gallery. The paintings are interpretations of the images using the beautiful surface of encaustic paint and a balance of the information captured from the telescope.”
Holly, based in Minneapolis, is a versatile artist working with video, sound, movement, installation, image, and object making. Her work has been showcased at venues like SooVAC, Minnesota Museum of American Art, Minneapolis St Paul International Film Festival, and Franconia Sculpture Park in Minnesota, as well as the Invisible Dog (Brooklyn) and Good Children Gallery (New Orleans). Holly was a 2016 Jerome Foundation Emerging Artist Fellow and a 2013 Fulbright Teaching Scholar in Hungary. She holds a BFA from the University of Minnesota and an MFA from Louisiana State University.
