Ronna and Eric Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art
Ronna and Eric Hoffman Gallery
September 10—December 10, 2017
Portland artist Bill Will has used the Hoffman Gallery as a venue for a site-specific interactive art experience he calls the Fun House. He has conceived a menagerie of mechanical artworks that, together, form a dramatic and cacophonous spectacle, where all elements intersect and overlap to create an experiential environment, like a circus of artwork and related contraptions. Sculptural objects, both static and kinetic, are combined with composed sound recordings and the live sounds of whirring mechanisms; theatrical lighting and ambient breezes (produced by large fans) create a multi-sensory experience. Fun House requires participants to follow a circuitous marked course; devices start and stop suddenly, objects suddenly become illuminated, then fade away into the darkness. This is an art installation that crosses the boundary into theater, where the visitor completes the experience.
Fun House ends with a “gift shop” where Will and his partner, LeBrie Rich, have devised an array of delightfully humorous souvenirs for sale. The exhibition is accompanied by a fully-illustrated catalogue with an essay by Linda Tesner.
Bill Will: Fun House is made possible by generous support from The Fred W. Fields Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation; The Ford Family Foundation; and the Regional Arts and Culture Council.
Opening reception on Sunday, September 10, 3-5 p.m featuring carnival-themed refreshments!
Bill Will
Us: House of Mirrors
2010
Mirrored acrylic
72 x 120 x 6 inches
About the Hoffman Gallery
Opened in 1997, the Ronna and Eric Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art at Lewis & Clark College emphasizes work at the forefront of the contemporary tradition: challenging, provocative, and international in scope. Learn about previous exhibitions or plan a visit to the gallery.
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