Currently on view at David Lusk Gallery until October 17 is a variety of work by multimedia artist Kit Reuther, including painting, mixed media and sculpture work, for a show titled “Assembly.” As a collection, the pieces complement one another through geometric form, tone and palette, but each add a variation on the themes.
The centerpiece of the show is a range of a dozen or so wooden sculptures arranged on a white platform on the gallery floor. As a whole, they convey a power in the show that can transcend the sum of its parts, a forest of seemingly organic forms containing mysterious power. Taking in the show as a whole this way enforces the self-taught Reuther’s approach to her work, which is dictated by the natural material and a respect for her community.
“This series of wood sculpture begins and ends with compositions of simple shapes,” Reuther explained in a statement shared by the gallery. “Each piece is dictated by the wood resources available to me. I am surrounded in the studio … by builders and artisans making beautiful furniture and other utilitarian objects, so I’m always observing and taking in technical information. Working in wood is always a negotiation between my ideas and the limitations of the material — it can be a humbling process but ultimately satisfying.”
But the collection doesn’t need to be viewed as a whole to convey this sense of organic discovery or aggregate respect. As a series of Reuther’s trademark wooden forms presented side by side, for instance, the single piece #1508-3d contains a diaspora of form and movement in and of itself.
Reuther‘s work has been displayed across the country and she’s been selected for numerous awards and fellowships, including the VCCA International Residency Program in Schwandorf, Germany.
The David Lusk Gallery’s Nashville location is located at 516 Hagan Street in We-Ho.
