Stephan Hillerbrand / Mary Magsamen, “Electric Wave”

Synaptic

Sculptural Interpretations of Neural and Psychological Systems

October 8 - December 3, 2022

Opening Reception:
Saturday, October 8, 6pm - 9pm

Saturdays: Artist Talks / Tours at 2 pm by Curator Volker Eisele
Ambient Avenues Performing Arts Series (Select Saturdays)

Site Gallery Houston
The Silos at Sawyer Yards
1502 Sawyer Street, Suite 400
Houston, TX 77007

Sculpture Month Houston is proud to present its new exhibition “Synaptic” at the Site Gallery at the Silos at Sawyer Yards. Since 2016 Sculpture Month Houston has celebrated 3 dimensional and installation art and the artists who create them. After five successful previous shows, “Synaptic” is the sixth exhibition and Festival and this year’s theme is a rarely explored subject: the transformation of neural and psychological systems into tangible sculptural objects.

The architecture of the Silos with its cylindrically shaped spaces has always fostered associations that referred to defined spaces like caves or interior structures. This exhibition has asked its participating artists to look at the individual silo space as a cranial cavity where the brain is housed and performs its amazing feats.

The term “Synaptic” refers to the trillions of synapses which are parts of neurons or nerve cells and responsible for the neuron to neuron transmission system. They connect, sever, reconnect, forge new pathways: an apt metaphor for creative activity. The human brain is the least understood and the most mysterious of all organ structures. The neural networks seemingly effortless can perform the most complex cognitive tasks at lightning speed. These functions are all produced by a tangled web of 100 billion neurons or nerve cells supported by its network of 100 trillion synapses. These synapses are responsible for the neuron to neuron transmissions, they stimulate and inhibit, they connect and sever and all the while forge new pathways and networks: a striking analogy of the creation of art.

The main mystery of the brain, however, may be how basic chemicals like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and a few others plus an electric spark can be transformed into ephemeral images, thoughts, feelings or emotions. How can that be? The sciences do not have good answers, the conceptual jump from a constellation of biochemical substrates converted into colorful images or deep emotions is simply beyond the current scientific knowledge base.

The artists participating in “Synaptic” are not attempting to solve this conundrum, but instead want to share their creative interpretations and unorthodox insights. After all, art is not bound by scientific dogma or the constraint of a strict and cumbersome logic. Artists are comfortable working in the liminal space of fiction and reality and they would like to share their creative interpretations and unorthodox insights. They also may find some humor in these inherent contradictions and invest their installations and sculptures with a light hearted note. They are the intermediaries working “between a thought and a thing.

FEATURED ARTISTS:
Christie Blizard, Laurie Frick, Jeff Gibbons, Dave Greber, Stephan Hillerbrand / Mary Magsamen, Hillary Holsonback, Ronald L. Jones, Sharon Kopriva / John Berry, Meredith Jack, Dameon Lester, Beili Liu, Virginia L. Montgomery, Chris Sauter, Matthew Steinke, Brad Tucker, Meredith Tucker


AMBIENT AVENUES PERFORMING ARTS SERIES:

Thursday, October 20
RJSH and Syneverse
Yoyodne and Chapel in the Sky
Misha Penton
Christine Blizzard & Mark McCoin

Saturday, October 22
Philosophy Stone

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