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Item as deScribed: Medieval and Contemporary Illuminations

described poster

“Item as deScribed” is an artistic exploration of medieval illuminations by Ben Patrick, chair of the Visual and Performing Arts programs at Vemont Commons School in South Burlington, Vermont. The inspiration for this exhibition originated from a field trip to Rauner Special Collection Library with a group of seventeen VCS art students. The concept for the exhibition involves language, media, and iconography, as well as the parallels and differences involving medieval and contemporary lexicons. In the process of examining these relationships, Ben has experimented with a wide range of materials: calfskin vellum in multiple ink jet printers and heat presses; lapis lazuli in petroleum distillates; and 24k gold (carefully painted on the halo of the Virgin Mary). Ultimately, these investigations seek to demonstrate that our illuminated text and icons, and our need to communicate with them, have not altered significantly over the last thousand years.
 
The exhibition is divided into three parts, each juxtaposing old and new media (and materials). It is the artist’s hope that this exhibit will shed light upon the timeless currency of ‘language’ in all of its processes, materials and meanings. Like the students and artists at Vermont Commons School, to whom this exhibition is dedicated, Ben also hopes that this current show will “inspire in others the restless, curious, always questioning tides of the creative process.”
 
Ben Patrick graduated from Saint Michael's College in 1998 with a BA in Fine Arts and from Pratt Institute in 2004 with an MS in Art Education of Art and Design. He has been the Artist in Residence at Vermont Commons School since 2004, where he designed the Visual Arts Program, which unites media, concept, and studio application.

The exhibition was curated by Ben Patrick and Morgan Swan and will be on display in the Class of 1965 Galleries from August 1 to 31, 2014.

You may download a small, 8x10 version of the poster: ItemAsDescribed.jpg. You may also download a handlist of the items in this exhibition: deScribed.

Materials Included in the Exhibition

  1. Materials Used in the Creation Processes of Ben Patrick
    1. Item 1: Canister of Lapis Lazuli
    2. Item 2: 24k Gold Leaf
    3. Item 3: Canisters of Ink Jet Inks
    4. Item 4: Paint Brushes
    5. Item 5: Painting Mediums
  2. Creation Processes:
    1. Process One: Printing with inkjet printers on traditional calfskin vellum. Enhancing work with traditional pigments including lapis lazuli, vermillion and 24k Gold.
    2. Process Two: Multiple layers of text using Adobe Photoshop. 
    3. Process Three: Satirical work of selective illuminated text. Works are contemporary examples of "illuminations" using modern commercial icons and synthetic materials.
  3. Works in Progress:
    1. Item 6, 7, 8 and 9: Multiple Trials of Printing on Calfskin Vellum
    2. Item 10: Details of a Face on Vellum
    3. Item 11, 12, and 13: Digital Sketches.
  4. Ben Patrick. Procession Woman I.2014. Enhanced Giclee Print on Calfskin Vellum.
  5. Ben Patrick. Procession Woman II.2014. Enhanced Giclee Print on Calfskin Vellum.
  6. Ben Patrick. Procession Mary I.2014. Enhanced Giclee Print on Calfskin Vellum.
  7. Ben Patrick. Procession Mary II.2014. Enhanced Giclee Print on Calfskin Vellum.
  8. Ben Patrick. Procession Mary III.2014. Enhanced Giclee Print on Calfskin Vellum.
  9. Ben Patrick. Procession Mary IV.2014. Enhanced Giclee Print on Calfskin Vellum.
  10. Ben Patrick. Described Proof I.2014. Giclee Print.
  11. Ben Patrick. Described Proof II.2014. Giclee Print.
  12. Ben Patrick. Described Proof II.2014. Giclee Print.
  13. Ben Patrick. Described Proof IV.2014. Giclee Print.
  14. Ben Patrick. Described Proof V.2014. Giclee Print.
  15. Ben Patrick. Described Proof VI.2014. Giclee Print.
  16. Ben Patrick. Described Proof VII.2014. Giclee Print.
  17. Ben Patrick. Described Proof VIII.2014. Giclee Print.
  18. Ben Patrick. Your Tide is Showing.2014. Digital Print on Synthetic Vellum and Aluminum Foil.
  19. Ben Patrick. Lovin It!.2014. Digital Print on Synthetic Vellum and Aluminum Foil.
  20. Ben Patrick. Item as Described.2014. Digital Print on Synthetic Vellum and Aluminum Foil.
  21. Catholic Church. Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis ad usum Parisiensem. Ca. 1395-1415. Codex 001597.
  22. Catholic Church. Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis ad usum Parisiensem. Ca. 1490-1500. Codex 001598.
  23. Catholic Church. Officium Beatae Mariae Virgin. Ca. 1460-1470. Codex 001918.
  24. Catholic Church. Antiphony. 16th century. Codex 002088.
  25. Catholic Church. Book of Hours. Ca. 1330-1340.  Codex 002253.
  26. Catholic Church. Book of Hours. Ca. 1440-1445. Manuscript 002254.
  27. Catholic Church. [Psalterium]. Late 15th century. Codex 001965.