By Julie Johansen
Recently, the Utah State University (USU) mobile art truck visited schools in Emery County. Shannon Erickson and colleague Chandra Carlson spoke with students at various schools about the artwork included in the truck and the museum on the USU campus.
Utilizing select artworks on view at the museum by artist Jean Lowe, the mobile art truck acts as a mini museum taken to schools in Utah. Lowe employs wit and satire to create entertaining and intellectually-provocative work. Lowe is an American pop/conceptual multimedia artist whose work carefully and humorously unpacks the ironies and challenges of the 21st century culture.
Lowe’s installations are primarily comprised of unpretentious media, such as paper-mâché and paint, which are coupled with a sophisticated and literary use of language and a loose painterly style. Lowe makes room-sized furniture, rugs and even pianos.
“A grand piano is an instrument that signals class and taste. Here, I’ve reduced it to being a cooler serving chips and drinks,” Lowe said. “The piano offers immediate gratification as a snack dispenser; it’s high brought low. I built Baby Grand to be able to hold ice and serve beverages cold.”
The mobile art truck visited Cleveland Elementary, Castle Dale Elementary, Emery High School and Book Cliff Elementary.
