Walk into Studio & and you’ll be greeted by a subtle window sign that reads, “All races, all religions, all countries of origin, all sexual orientations, all genders – you are safe and welcome here.” It shows the inclusive vibe of this clean, well-lit place.
Studio &’s newest exhibit is Reaction/Action: A Collaborative Response to Uncertain Times. It is a work dedicated to sparking political, communal, and internal conversation (instead of a heated debate) in the wake of the new U.S. administration. Tim Kapustka, part owner of Studio &, said, “The power is in the artists working, but it’s not just that. It’s in the people who come in and say, ‘Oh my gosh, this makes me think.’ People are falling on both sides of the fence. We aren’t sitting here piling on [Trump]. It’s a dialogue … Four people from Dallas came in. They maybe didn’t agree with what a lot of these artists are saying, but one out of the four stayed after his friends left and said, ‘Listen, I’m conservative. But I want to talk about this.’ That’s the gist of it.”
Reaction/Action is the sort of exhibit you can visit multiple times because it is ever-morphing. Every day through Feb. 23, an artist will add to the installation. More than 30 artists of varied political backgrounds will weave their voices into the visual dialogue.
There are a dozen or so canvases planted within the installation that will be extracted and sold at the end of the exhibit. Half of the proceeds will be donated to the San Juan Citizen’s Alliance. The opening reception will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24.
For details, hit up www.anddurango.com.
Patty TempletonDGO Staff Writer
