Richard Bohn

Artist Statement

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​Art as a personal statement, is the reconciliation of the contrasts & contradictions that exist within our lives. The dichotomy of commercial art & personal art for example, or art, as a social statement or a personal esthetic statement, Art as the engagement, reaction, interaction & perception of art by the viewer, such as when the audience at a show or event is compelled to throw a tip into a Tip Concept Sculpture or rotating a 3D Interactive Collage 180 degrees re-arranging the elements & also the composition. The art process has always been based on the intrinsic beauty of a basic element, material or found object. The effect of an element, such as a cast shadow, or material, such as xerox scraps . . . or media, such as spray paint or diabetic test strip . . . is rooted in inspiration, fun & an esthetic integration with one’s everyday life. As Kurt Schwitters did with his found object paper collage associated with the Dada movement the combined elements are then elevated by the artist to the state of art.

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Richard’s current work falls into several categories: EnviroScape, Musicscape, Tip Concept Sculpture, 3D Interactive Collage, Medical Imaging, Kinetic Mobile, Totem, Symbolic, Bohndala/Mandala, Filter, H20, Intuitive Collecting & Miscellaneous. They are most recently based on a intuitive process of collecting, whether it be a collection of textural patterns, photographic images, paper of different colors & shapes, pedestals, xerox special effects, digital output, roofing vents, paint effects, & treatments, scraps & leftovers from other projects, recycled consumer product packaging, either commercial or personal, art or non-art & found or manufactured object.

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The 3D Interactive Collage is a logical progression that evolved from the 2D collage process. Potential energy is hard to restrain, flat elements become folded or bent . . . if only by accident. Even a 2D collage has dimension in overlap & build-up of thickness. Found object collecting, following the lead & mystery of non- thinking creative intuition that played a role in the transformation of stockpiled 2D collage elements . . . the catalyze being the sale purchase of a 4” deep shadow box frame. Seemingly unrelated elements then come together in a trial & error performance that results in the delicate balance of an actual interactive work.

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Being a musician & performer for many years, interaction with the audience has always been a source of energy & inspiration & sometimes anxiety, always interesting . . . a tip jar is the perfect symbol for the point of synergy between the object and the social, commercial & artistic aspects of a performance. The relationship of the viewer/audience & the exaggerated presence the tip concept receptacle/pedestal engages & reminds the viewer of the social responsibility to support the arts and do so financially . . . supporting the Tip Jar Concept & the Artist.

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A five-dollar bill magically suspended & waving in air, or a laser light & audio mix signaling the activation of the Tip Concept at various time intervals while listeners are compelled to wad up money & shoot a basket . . . removable Pass the Hats . . . with motion sensors, voice activation & kinetics make a traditional guitar case (the Venice Street Corner Model) a tip magnet. It’s the 5th member of the musical group & gets it’s own cut of the take. The Tip Concept Sculpture takes its place on stage with its associates: Music, Dance & Theater. A thesis on the history, folklore & economics of tipping is a key element for the art event.

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Art is a realistic venue to meet & share philosophy, ideas & processes with other people. This is a rare function & should be nurtured & expanded upon. Also, an awareness of art and its function in society should be facilitated & re-enforced to more fully experience life . . . expanding the importance of self-expression in the larger culture & also showing those close to us an alternate form of intimacy. A venue to inspire, create & share with the viewer, the real & symbolic elements that embody life . . . it’s ideas & it’s forms. Instill & portray the art experience as a sharing of our natural & social environment & highlight the involvement of the viewer . . . to see something new or re-evaluate something taken for granted . . . as a direct result of contact with art.