Opening Reception of Local Artists Go Miniature at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures
Americans like things big: cars, houses, walk-in-closets, dinner plates and movie stars. Art collectors also favor big canvases, sculptures and photography.
Historically and psychologically, these preferences can be traced back centuries to the first time Europeans experienced the vastness of the American landscape, which was in direct contrast to the much smaller countries they had left behind. For many in the U.S., “Don’t Fence Me In” is not just a jingle but an oath to their national political birthright as they buzz down versions of Route 66 in their SUVs.
“Local Artists Go Miniature” is more than a captivating exhibition; it is the first show of local artists curated by The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures since its inception in 1982. It was juried, conceived and installed with much care, and the works of 29 regional artists demonstrate that small can be as powerful and provocative as the biggest artwork out there. This writer has seen the exhibit four times, and each viewing reveals more and more of the expertly crafted bits of the diverse entries that populate these petite, but hypnotizing pieces. The jurors deliberately chose a range of media and concepts, and the signage by each piece in the show not only describes the making of the artwork, but the artist’s deeply felt thought processes behind it. Many of these explanations are quite moving, thanks to the expert cataloging of assistant curator Carlos Ortiz-Gallo.
A few highlights of “Local Artists Go Miniature” include Hoseok Youn’s blown glass piece “It’s Just a Toy,” a dazzling depiction of some kind of transparent warrior. Emily Blair Quinn’s resin sculpture, photograph and painting of a sad-looking young woman are an exercise in aesthetic versatility. One of three works by Kate Schroeder, “Broyhill Inspired Record Console,” made of ceramic and Bluetooth speakers, can actually be played. Two Kansas City pros, Cary Esser and Kim Lindaberry, prove that a diminished scale of their well-known series inspired a more muted but provocative response than their original larger pieces.
Esser’s three ceramically complex, layered “Parfleche” works are quite mysterious in small scale, and Lindaberry’s “Traveler” sculptures are more endearing than the remote extraterrestrial presence they typically present when large, which adds intrigue to their purpose.
To be included in the show, the artists could work in 2D or 3D, but the scale could be no more than 12” by 12” by 12.” The technical expertise in the fabrication of all the objects in this exhibit is mind-boggling.
Viewers have been fascinated with “Local Artists Go Miniature,” Ortiz-Gallo said in a recent interview. When asked why, he replied: “American artists don’t make small things — no one is a miniature artist here. But I think these objects are like totems, and humans have always felt the need for totems. We like carrying around small things and we can own them.”
The success of this jewel of an exhibition will lead to another such show by local artists three years from now, hospitably housed in the new wing to the museum.
“Local Artists Go Miniature” continues through June 9 at the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, 5235 Oak St. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday – Monday. Admission ranges from $5 to $10. For more information, 816.235.8000 or toyandminiaturemuseum.org.
