Exhibitions

DUSTYN BORK: FORM FOLLOWS DYSFUNCTION

Beverly and Sam Ross Gallery (Christian Brothers University) / 650 E Pkwy S August 14, 2021 - September 25, 2021

Dustyn Bork

The work in this exhibition, entitled form follows dysfunction, quotes the constructed environment and buildings in various layers of renewal and decay. This series of paintings uses color, form, and texture in a method akin to building. The title of the exhibition is a play on the architectural maxim, “form follows function,” quipped by Louis Sullivan at the turn of the 20th century. He was championing a new approach to architecture with simplified and sleek design, emphasizing the purpose of the building over its aesthetic ornamentation. This aesthetic was later made famous by Bauhaus practitioners Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe as they influenced the mid-century modern “International Style.” My goal is to show the end result of architecture in a fractured, abstracted way referencing the colors, textures, and patinas present in edifices as they age and become disused. The resulting abstracted forms quote sagging rooflines, building abutments, and various architectonic forms. In each work, the materials of building construction, such as rollers and wood, are used to make a physical and conceptual connection to the subject matter. The primary goal is to reference enough of the built environment to appear familiar; these are spaces that could be in Detroit, Little Rock, or Memphis. The elements are conceptually used to reveal the versatility of paint as a material and exploit the beauty of the surface.