The Dennos Museum Center at Northwestern Michigan College presents two summer exhibitions sure to spark the interest of summer tourists and the local community. Sideways: Exploring Skateboard Art + Culture and Perimeter: A Contemporary Portrait of Lake Michigan – Photographs by Kevin J. Miyazaki will be on exhibition May 31 – September 6, 2015. More details on events and programming are available online at dennosmuseum.org.
Sideways: Exploring Skateboard Art + Culture
Working in collaboration with local designers, artists, and skaters, the Dennos Museum Center celebrates skateboarding as sport, hobby, and artistic expression. Sideways: Exploring Skateboard Art + Culture features art and design from Aaron Draplin, Jason Abraham Smith, and Yoon Hyup; photography from Mike Blabac; and decks designed by artists from the region and beyond. This spring we put out a call for original board designs for jury consideration, and received an overwhelming response. Awards will be juried by pro skater Ron Allen during his visit and performance on June 20 during the Traverse City Park Jam. Decks will be auctioned on June 20 to support Dennos programs and partner Third Level Crisis Intervention.
The four artists chosen to participate represent a wide range of techniques and backgrounds, and three of them have Michigan connections.
Aaron Draplin is a Northwestern Michigan College alumnus, and currently operates Draplin Design Co. in Portland, OR, which has worked with clients from Union Binding Co., New York Times, Ford Motor Company, and the Obama Administration. Draplin will present his popular lecture, Tall Tales from a Large Man, on Friday, June 19 at 7pm. Tickets available online (dennosmuseum.org) or by calling (231)995-1573.
Jason Abraham Smith was born in Vermont to artist parents, raised in a nomadic, creative and unconventional atmosphere. With the discovery of skateboarding and punk rock at an early age, his doodles quickly changed from cartoon animals to skulls and fire. Today you can find Jason in Detroit, slinging screen printed gig posters or at the skatepark complaining about his bum knee.
Mike Blabac, originally from Michigan, is as solid as they come. With a keen eye and the ability to capture poignant moments, Mike is known for his exceptional talent behind the lens and for his humble attitude in front of it.
Yoon Hyup, a Korean-born artist, represents the Museum’s continued efforts to bring international talent to the Traverse City area. Yoon has worked in commercial design for big names like Nike, Wieden + Kennedy, and Tommy Hilfiger, and is now reaching new audiences through site-specific installations. Yoon Hyup will be at the Dennos May 26-30 installing his mural, and can be viewed at work by visitors.
Ron Allen first made his skateboard mark on the world with his ollies while riding for the legendary H-Street Skateboards in the 1980s. Allen is still skating every day and is always stoked for a session. Performing music in the same manner, as MC Intelligence he infuses hip-hop, jazz, and skateboarding, and is excited to share his music with northwest Michigan and beyond.
Sideways was organized by the Dennos Museum Center with support from Erin Waineo Design, Proof Positive Brand Design, Gene Ullery-Smith Graphic Design, Jesse Den Herder, Brandon Jenkins, and Lifer Skateboard Shop of Traverse City.
Perimeter: A Contemporary Portrait of Lake Michigan – Photographs by Kevin J. Miyazaki
Perimeter crafts a diverse portrait of Lake Michigan through images of its dynamic waterscapes and the everyday people that are closest to them. The Wauwatosa-based photographer, Kevin J. Miyazaki, collected more than 200 portraits of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan residents with a connection to the lake during a two-week, 1,800-mile journey around its perimeter. While some of his subjects were identified in advance, most of the people that he photographed he met serendipitously in his travels. He also briefly interviewed his subjects, asking only two questions: “What draws you to Lake Michigan?” and “What about the lake matters most to you?” The exhibition and its accompanying book, in the museum store, will feature a selection of portraits and answers to these questions.
This exhibition was originally commissioned by the by the Haggerty Museum of Art at Marquette University, Milwaukee.
The Dennos Museum Center is open daily 10 AM to 5 PM, Thursdays until 8 PM, and Sundays 1-5 PM. For information on the Museum and its programs, go to www.dennosmuseum.org or call 231-995-1055. The Dennos Museum Center is located at 1410 College Dr., Traverse City, MI 49686, at the entrance to the campus of Northwestern Michigan College.