The give-and-take between artist and audience can often be compared to a romance: the initial attraction, the courting process, the getting to know one another's likes and dislikes.
Two fledgling artists in Lincoln understand that romance all too well, as they have used their time together romantically to explore their artistic sides as well.
Last year, Bryan Klopping, a junior fine and performing arts and English major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and his girlfriend Amy Gordon, a sophomore psychology major, traveled to Asia to explore their potentials as artists.
Klopping, who has been featured in readings and other art shows downtown, switched majors last year to fine arts. He said that he has been painting since 2007 and has been doing shows ever since.
Gordon has her own extensive resume: From her performance in a 2009 production of "The Vagina Monologues" to this latest art show, she is also, with Klopping, the newest curator of the local underground venue The Clawfoot House.
"I've never taken art classes," Gordon said. "I like glitter, glow in the dark … lots of things considered to be children's arts and crafts, but I like it."
"I consider art beyond fine art," she said. "If somebody spends a lot of time in developing skills, it's not a big deal if they went to art school."
Gordon also considers her art to be very different from that of her boyfriend's.
"Often, Bryan portrays darker stuff," Gordon said. "I usually do bubbly, fun stuff.
"My work is ironic, kind of a slap in the face to fine art."
But regardless of their artistic backgrounds, both Klopping and Gordon were quite excited about going on this trip east, they said.
They were able to travel through UNL's unique study abroad program called "Japanese Visual Culture in Context." The opportunity was put together as a collaborative effort between the Department of Art and Art History in the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts and the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
"The unique thing about (this study abroad program) is that it's the only art-based program," Gordon said.
While other programs offer a variety of different options for different types of students, the Japan trip is specifically geared toward students interested in getting a sense of a foreign culture through a rich visual history.
And with the sentiments Klopping and Gordon had already acquired through the accepting and celebrating art world of Lincoln, they took the experience one step further.
On the trip, Klopping and Gordon met Joe Addison and Katy Baker, two photographers who attend Metropolitan Community College in Omaha. Klopping and Gordon really liked the photos their new friends were taking, Klopping said.
Upon returning to Lincoln, Klopping and Gordon put the exhibit "Japan Opening" together with the help of Angel Settell, who owns Spativm, an artist's gallery in the Parrish Building and heavily invested in the Parrish Project, a community art initiative that celebrates artists like Klopping and Gordon. Their work will premiere this Friday as part of the First Friday free art exhibits around Lincoln.
"It's important for people to get out and show their stuff," Klopping said. "(First Friday) is a mass audience, but everyone's interested in what you're doing. As an artist, you're not trying to shove the work down anyone's throat or sell to anyone."
Gordon and Klopping are taking a different route from what the photographers Addison and Baker will be exhibiting.
"Overall, Japan is far ahead of us when it comes to design and art," Klopping said. "I was exposed to a lot of cutting-edge ideas. This is my chance to share some of those.
"Basically, I'm capturing the spirit of Japan through my eyes."
Klopping said most of his art will deal heavily with multimedia and projection. Gordon, however, still has a thing for arts and crafts.
"I'm portraying my experience in Japan using dioramas made from bentos, which are Japanese food containers," Gordon said. "Everything, except for the adhesive, is from Japan."
Gordon said that dioramas are generally considered children's art but she doesn't care for labels.
"I like it," she said with a laugh.
The Spativm space is located on the second floor of the Parrish Building on 14th and O streets.
noahballard@dailynebraskan.com
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