Kay Dartt + Ronda Wright: Creating artifacts of home
January 6, 2023, 6:34 p.m.

January 6 - February 25, 2023

KNOXVILLE -- The UT Downtown Gallery is pleased to present a two-person exhibition of work by Kay Dartt and Ronda Wright.

Dartt’s work fluctuates between functional sculpture, speculative design, and embodied hyperobject. The goal of these objects is to challenge our western philosophies of living that have created an imbalance between the natural, artificial and virtual environments we occupy. By synthesizing biomorphic forms, consumer language and parametric design processes, an aesthetic emerges that invites a critical perspective of our environment. At times these objects can humorous, whimsical or enigmatic.

Kay Dartt is an artist whose practice combines sculpture, engineering, education and community outreach. As a Clinical Assistant Professor of Art at Shepherd University, she teaches sculpture courses, engineering courses and manages an interdisciplinary fabrication space called the FASTEnER Lab.

As an artist and activist, Ronda Wright has created the on-going sculptural installation, "Creating Artifacts of Home." Through a series of workshops, participants sculpt small artifacts of home. These workshops started in response to the overwhelming rate of LGBTQ+ homelessness and bullying, the premise of these workshops is that we all have a relation to home; and that iron is an element necessary to sustain life.

While sharing experiences, participants sculpt a symbolic artifact that reminds them of home. After being cast in iron, the artifact becomes part of the larger collection of memories that reflect relations of Home. Participants’ artifacts link themselves not as “others” but to others.

Wright is the Academic & Professional Development Advisor and Adjunct Assistant Professor for UT's College of Architecture + Design and an alum of UT's School of Art.

This exhibition and events are generously sponsored by UT’s Pride Center and UT's School of Art Programming Committee.

The UT Downtown Gallery is a Tennessee Triennial Community Venue.

All events are free and everyone is welcome.

Reception: Friday, January 6, 5-9pm
Friday, February 3, 5-9pm

For more information and hours, visit downtown.utk.edu.