The Colorado Mesa University presents their next gallery artist guest, Lenka Konopasek. The show will exhibit Konopasek’s art “Disputed Territory,” and it will run from Nov. 2 to 30 at CMU’s art gallery downtown. The show will include paintings and paper sculptures that “explore the theme of natural and manmade disasters.” This theme is unique for Grand Junction’s art galleries.
Lenka Konopasek was born in the Czech Republic and went to the School of Applied Arts in Prague, the highly prestigious admission process of which was difficult. She was finally admitted in 1988. Konopasek left for America in 1989 before the collapse of the Berlin Wall. She earned her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from the University of Utah after immigrating to the United States and received her master’s degree from the Maine College of Art. She is currently teaching studio art at Westminster College and the University of Utah.
According to Konopasek’s statement on her “Disputed Territory” exhibit, the works “represent a collision between nature and people. The work raises questions about longevity, the consequences of human behavior, and differences in cultural or national attitudes.”
Konopasek’s sculptures are constructed from paper, with one feature piece in the show depicting a paper tornado that trails down from the ceiling. In an artist statement, Konopasek said, “This theme emerged from my own personal anxieties as well as the world events.” She said she enjoys creating art using paper due to its fragility and history of diverse uses. The sculptures are hand-made in detailed parts, then assembled together into a larger work.
The exhibit, along with much of Konopasek’s work, urges the viewer to compare the first impressions of man-made structures to their ultimate impact on the environment around them.
The reception for the exhibit will take place on Nov. 2 from 5 to 8 p.m. Visitors can see Konopasek’s works at the University Art Gallery at 437 Colorado Avenue, with refreshments available to purchase to benefit visiting artist programs.
