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“Family Biennial” exhibit at Gallery 80808

By Judit Trunkos

Steven and Mana Hewitt, artists currently living and working in Columbia, have largely divergent styles, despite their family ties and shared profession. While Steve is fascinated with manipulating clay and glass, Mana focuses on social and political issues. The third artist in their upcoming group show, daughter Vanessa Grubbs will present social and political commentary, porcelain pieces and functional objects.

Mana Hewitt believes that words and expressions can often have multiple meanings and creates multi-layered metal collages featuring images that could illuminate one meaning on the museum wall and something completely different in another context or setting. In her collage “Looking for America Redux” American war choppers hover over villagers who clasp their hands and look out toward the viewer in what could alternately be viewed as either weeping thanks or fear and anguish. Are the choppers liberators or invaders? “Intelligent Design” is also one of the terms Mana is focusing on at this exhibition and vividly illustrates the alternative interpretations—religious, scientific, social and technological—of the term.

“My goal,” she says, “is to create images that are aesthetically pleasing and conceptually significant, playing off the meaning of the chosen images.”

Steve Hewitt’s works are different from Mana’s in many ways. Steve has mastered a sculptural antiquing technique that imitates the effects of age and eons and gives his pieces a mysterious, almost alien look. The works he will exhibit at Gallery 80808 illustrate his latest approach to fusing and casting glass together with clay.

Vanessa Grubbs was born into working with clay. Her unique creations might first look like a decorative vase or a dish, but upon closer inspection details begin to immerge in the subtle imagery and even written notes. It quickly becomes apparent that there is a larger message to her work, that a broader narrative lies in her utilization of all sides and angels of her pieces.

This is the second time that the three artists of the Hewitt family have presented their art together, so they decided to name this show “Family Biennial.” The exhibit will run at Gallery 80808, from August 31 through September 2 and a reception will be held on Friday, August 31 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the gallery.