MERE OBSERVATION
New work by JEFF AUSTIN & ANGELES COSSIO
February 15 – March 15, 2013

Opening Reception: Friday, February 15, 6-9PM
Open Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 12-6PM & Saturday, 12-4PM
or by appointment

Manifold
4426 N Ravenswood Ave
Chicago 60640

The processes of human perception are swift and complex – sifted, for the sake of their efficacy, through a system of unconscious abstraction. Much of the sense data absorbed is promptly discarded, deemed insignificant – inessential for the moment’s utility. With a pause – a closer inspection – a new set of truths is discovered, brought to life at the will of the observer. In this way, the observer becomes an inseparable component of the system being observed, transforming its principal structure through mere observation.

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JEFF AUSTIN lives and works in Chicago, currently studying for a BFA in Sculpture at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His practice revolves around a persistent attempt to find reconciliation between the disparities in his relationships to urban and natural spaces, using collections of the various detritus found in each environment as a material base in the construction of sculpture and site-specific installation. He has recently shown with Make Space at MDW Fair as well as a solo exhibition at Anatomy/Gift/Association. In the past year, he has completed residencies at both ACRE and the Mormyrid Artist Residency.

More information about Jeff Austin can be found at http://jeffaustin.tumblr.com.

ANGELES COSSIO in her recent photographic work has been drawn to visual disruptions that call into question the nature of observation and the camera’s ability to convey reality. The works hint and tease at but never deliver a fully realized image. The very act of hiding and blocking can be transformative; it is in this place of disruption where she is seeking her imagery. Angeles received her undergraduate degree in painting from Buffalo State, the State University of New York and her MFA from Montclair State University. She is currently based in Lincoln, Nebraska, where she is a Visiting Instructor of Art at Nebraska Wesleyan University where she teaches photography and digital media. Her work has been exhibited internationally, most recently at the Sheldon Museum of Art, Access Arts, and the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art. This summer she completed residencies at both ACRE and The Land. She also co-runs Drift Station an experimental curatorial platform.

More information about Angeles Cossio can be found at http://www.angelescossio.com.

Manifold was conceived by Ross and Elizabeth Fiersten in 2011 to engage in the ongoing conversation occurring in Chicago between art and design, makers and manufacturers. Located at 4426 N Ravenswood Ave, Manifold houses a storefront gallery and a manufacturing workshop. The direct connection between the gallery and the workshop reinforces Manifold’s guiding mission: to overtly preserve the link from the object presented to the process of its crafting. In addition to producing and selling furniture and accessories on-site, Manifold features gallery exhibitions and events highlighting issues pertinent to contemporary artists and designers.

More information about Manifold can be found at http://www.manifoldchicago.com.

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Tags: ACRE, Angeles Cossio, Jeff Austin, Manifold