Michael de Meng
October 12 - December 7
The Brumfields first discovered Michael de Meng’s work several years ago while visiting the city of New Orleans. Having been fans of de Meng’s work ever since, they are pleased to announce a show by the artist at Brumfield’s Gallery beginning in October. Primarily a sculpture artist, de Meng’s pieces elevate discarded and commonplace items into darkly beautiful and sacred relics, invested with both humanity and conflict.
A long time assemblage artist, de Meng utilizes discarded items for his shrine-like works and creatures, such as scrap metal, old appliances, or miscellaneous objects that would typically be considered ‘junk’. The idea behinds these works is transformation. He seeks to alter pieces that would normally be rejected into works of art and reverence. By borrowing imagery from shrines and relics around the world, de Meng’s work transforms this ‘junk’ into pieces of beauty and meaning.
De Meng describes his works as,
“a form of rebirth from the ashes into new life and new meaning. These assemblages are metaphors for the evolutions and revolutions of existence...the forms are examinations of the world in perpetual flux, where meaning and function are ever- changing.”
While de Meng’s initial purpose is to simply find order in a world of chaos, the results are pieces that have taken on a new life, developed from their former selves.
While most artists tend towards privacy and secrecy when discussing their techniques, de Meng couldn’t be more open about his artistic process. The artist is not only unguarded about discussing how and with what he makes his assemblages, he teaches workshops showing the very same processes that he utilizes to create their own works of art from scraps and junk- yard finds.
Indeed, de Meng utilizes teaching to his advantage. Though he admits balancing the two careers can be difficult at times, the demands of each career keep one another in check. De Meng’s career has also taken him along the path of writing. Now the author of two books, ‘Secrets of Rusty Things: Transforming Found Objects into Art’ and ‘Dusty Dia- blos: Folklore, Iconography, Assemblage, Ole!’’. He sees writing, like teaching, as another outlet for his thoughts and creativity.
Michael de Meng’s opening reception will be on Saturday, October 12 at Brumfield’s Gallery in Hyde Park. The event will be open to the public and will run from 7 – 9 p.m. with a no-host bar provided by 13th Street Pub and Grill. The exhibition continues through Sunday, December 7. Brumfield’s Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.