Exhibitions

KYLE HISLIP AND WES RODEN: THE JOY OF WRONG TURNS

Cherry East Gallery / 2717 Jefferson Ave. June 27 - July 31st (Reception: June 27 5:00pm - 8:00pm)

Kyle Hislip, Wes Roden

The Joy Of Wrong Turns is an exhibition by Kyle Hislip and Wes Roden blending narratives of memory, landscape, surrealism, spirit, metaphor, and humanity. Knoxville-based photographer Kyle Hislip’s recent visit to Cuba captures a pivotal moment in its evolving narrative, revealing the tension between historical legacy and modern transformation. His intimate portraits and street scenes reflect the resilience of Cuban identity.

In his “Insomnia” series, Hislip explores feelings of being engulfed by shadows, both real and imagined, where a sense of absolute futility settles in. It’s a matter of being open to see things that are not obvious or customary, but are worthy of contemplation. But maybe, if we can hang on just a bit longer, something appears.

In contrast, mixed-media artist Wes Roden harnesses place and movement to intertwine imagined experiences with that of the viewer. His artwork includes small-scale oil paintings and large-scale installations, where the former entails portraits and landscapes familiar to East Tennessee made fantastic through saturation and removal of background elements. These works are painted from photos collaged over geometric swaths of pigment or deconstructed landscapes, subverting context to inject melodrama into otherwise mundane subjects and reframing the viewer’s perception of the everyday.

Roden further leverages context through interactive elements, inviting active viewership that elevates the participant as part of the work. Thus, by lending spectacle as a framework, he seeks to imbue poetic realism into personal connections.

Together, the artists convey a sense of movement that embodies the complexity of life and the joy found in the unexpected turns along the way.