Oregon-based artist Brittany Powell exhibits her wall-size pages of the West Elm catalog at the Kimball Art Center (638 Park Ave., Park City, 435-649-8882) from Aug. 16 to Oct. 26, with an art talk and reception on Saturday, Aug. 16 from 6-8 p.m.
Why an exhibit of a furniture catalog? How is that art?
I want to point out the beauty in the things we see every day.
What do you do with an X-Acto knife?
The Kimball painted the walls light purple for me. I’m putting up wood-grain contact paper all over the walls, and then I cut pieces away to make about 8-foot-tall versions of the West Elm catalog pages. I’m not actually putting catalog pages on the wall; I’m cutting out giant murals of the catalog pages.
With so much precision cutting, how do you avoid carpal tunnel?
I’m a little worried about that. I don’t think I am avoiding it (laughs).
Why did you turn the Boise Art Museum into the interior of a Mexican restaurant?
It was what a Mexican restaurant is in my mind. Again, I am trying to point out the beauty in the things we see every day rather than having it be a high-minded thing.
What are you most pleased about with your Kimball installation?
I really like a lot of the details. I specifically chose the West Elm catalog because they have nice silhouettes and nice patterns that are very graphic and lend themselves to the two-color motif.
What makes you think so big?
It just seems like a wonderful way to make the point that things we see in our daily lives can be just as beautiful as any artwork. Part of it is that I want to make something very special and handmade out of something mass produced.
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