A monumental site-specific installation and exhibition is now on view at The Hickory Museum of Art. I spent a pleasurable and busy week in Hickory weaving, staining suspending and otherwise assembling on site. This show includes some new works built off site but scaled and installed specifically for the Hickory gallery space. I was especially moved by the iconic spiral staircase and ever shimmering arched windows and vertical blinds.

Full documentation can be viewed here

http://jonathanbrilliant.com/hickory

The Stir City Piece, 2016

70,000 wooden coffee stir sticks woven in place and held by tension, 4,500 cardboard coffee cup sleeves stacked one inside another, 1,000 feet braided aluminum cable and ferrules, espresso and water.

The Stir City Piece was a new commissioned site-specific installation for The Taubman Museum of Art. The work was part of the two person exhibition “Eye of the Needle” with artist Amanda McCavour. The installation was created as a response to the architecture and experience of the Museums iconic architecture. Installation was completed over the course of 8 days on site.

From the Curator Amy Morefield:

Using the gallery as a studio space, Brilliant often refers to his site responsive installations, as“drawings in space”as the repetitive process of weaving over 70,000 stirrers is similar to the mark-making gesture known as crosshatch. Additionally, the stacked coffee sleeves that meander through the gallery and held by tension wires give the effect of a lines floating in space. Viewers are encouraged navigate the installation and with the addition of a espresso grounds wall drawing, providing the pungent aromatic fragrance of your favorite coffee shop, it becomes a fully sensory experience. As Brilliant aptly comments “ No prior knowledge is assumed or required” to enjoy The Stir City Piece.

Jonathan Brilliant : On Site is on view now through August 26, 2015 at the Greenhill center for North Carolina Art in Greensboro NC. The installation includes new site works, recent editions and works on paper, crate pieces and some of my genuine craptastic process videos.  This was a unique experience because rather than living entirely in the Greensboro community for the duration of the installation I was commuting 80 miles each way. The commute impacting my thinking a bit but had no real effect on the work. It was unusual for me though to have to drive away and leave at the end of each day when traditionally I stay in the place where I am doing the work.

The Mankato Piece, 2015
Conkling Gallery, Minnesota State University
40,000 wooden coffee stir sticks woven in place and held by tension, 2,600 coffee cup sleeves stacked one inside of another, braided aluminum cable, ferrules

Detail of historic molding in the gallery at Greenhill Center for North Carolina Art

June of 2015 I will be installing a solo show at the Greenhill Center for North Carolina Art. The show is being called “Jonathan Brilliant: On Site”. When I heard the Curator first share the name my mind immediately began somersaulting around homophones of the word site. My inner Richard Serra verb lister screamed out: To Sight. To Site. To Cite. It tickled me because I realized these three words are the three main things I try and do with my current work. I try, whenever possible, to site my work and it’s production in the space where it will be presented. I try to use my instincts and fly by sight when I am in the actual installation process. Although it is not necessary for the audience to enjoy the finished work I am always front loading my work with ‘citations’ of other’s works. I imagine as the next nine months unfold and various other projects are executed my thoughts and ideas for Greenhill will change. At the moment though, as I doodle my ideas on the gallery floorplans, I hope the insights continue to incite my ideas around the Greenhill Site. Or something like that.

After a brief scramble completing my piece for the “Building a Universe” exhibition at The South Carolina State Museum, here is 5 days gone in a minute.

Building a Universe, 2014 from brilliant on Vimeo.

In the earliest ones I was training my eye on anything that struck my fancy, but in recent years I am increasingly drawn to the orange and white safety materials we use to keep people out of certain areas. I especially love the shapes and compositions they create when they are at rest. These casual public sculptures were everywhere in Baton Rouge, and especially new x pattern arrangement works.

Friday started off wet and rainy.

By Sunday night it felt like smooth sailing on the river.

Today the Community Coffee Company signature red coffee cup sleeves arrived. This should add some extra special local “color” to the work, unless one were color blind then it will just look like starbucks sleeves.

One of my proudest moments as an installation artist has to be seeing my first sculpture instructor Loren Schwerd in a green apron with sticks. She’s the grey blur in the middle.

Wednesday Morning.