‘Form and Figure’ exhibit in Nightingale

Artist duo brings ‘Form and Figure’ to Nightingale Gallery

Jan. 2, 2019 LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Nightingale Gallery ushers in 2019 with “Form and Figure” an exhibition of work by husband and wife duo Michael and Aneka Ingold.

The exhibition opens with a reception for the artists from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 11 in the gallery, and runs through Feb. 8. The artists will present a joint public talk about their work at 6 p.m. in Badgley Hall’s Huber Auditorium on Thursday, Jan. 10.

The couple have joined together to present a collection of their works that speak of both form and the figure. Although somewhat disparate in their approaches to these subjects, they share a common vision in pursuing the perception and illusion of space and linear perspective.

Aneka’s artwork consists of ambiguous narratives combining flat color and pattern with realism. She specializes in mixed media techniques, combining drawing and painting processes. Her complex environments invite viewers to explore both the artifice of her constructed settings and the authenticity of the emotive quality of the figures in her allegorical worlds. The characters are set against colorful, patterned backdrops to create a striking visual contrast between realism and flat space. Aneka aims to create both synchronizations and contradictions between figures and environments.

Michael’s work is focused on the intersection of two-dimensional and three-dimensional media utilizing traditional forms of woodworking and painting, as well as contemporary digital fabrication and design methods. His pieces implore the viewer to allow the minimalist forms in his work to speak for themselves. The simple structures have a reality of their own and do not need to directly imitate the real world. The medium and the form of the work is the authenticity, exuding order, geometry and harmony.

“Both our methodologies challenge the viewer’s awareness of two-dimensional and three-dimensional perception,” Aneka said. “And we hope to transform the audience’s experience and understanding of their surroundings.”

The artists both received their MFA degrees from Kendall College of Art and Design and their BFA degrees from Grand Valley State University. The couple currently teach in the Art and Design Department at the University of Tampa, Florida.

See the exhibit through Feb. 8, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, go to eou.edu/art or follow the Nightingale Gallery on Facebook and Instagram. To request images of artwork for publication or to schedule an interview with the artists please contact Gallery Director Cory Peeke at cpeeke@eou.edu.