Benign: Growth and Neglect

Robert Ortbal

Benign: Growth and Neglect

Robert Ortbal

Wiegand Gallery

Notre Dame de Namur University

TheWiegandGalleryatNotreDamedeNamurUniversityisproudtopresent

Benign: Growth and Neglect,anexhibitionof sculpturesbyBayAreaArtistRobertOrtbal.

IfirstencounteredRobertOrtbal’sworkatasoloexhibitatFourWallsGalleryinSan

Franciscointhemid-1990s.Theworkinthatshowcontainedquietwhispersof ArtePovera

aswellastheprevalentLosAngelesScatter/Garbageartsceneof thetime,yetsomething

muchmorewaspresentintheworksonview.Myfirsttakeonlookingattheworksinthat

show,whatIfeltratherthanthought,wasnotsomuchcerebral,norintellectual,butmore

of apowerfulresonanceemanatingfromdeepwithintheformspresented.Therewere,asI

recall,windowscoveredwithbandedstreamsof metalliccassettetapeinnardsthatfluttered

inthesubtlebreezeskickedupwhenonewalkedpast.Alarge,silveralien-lookingformsat

onthefloor.Madefromkneadedaluminumfoil,itwashollowyetsolid,formlessyetwith

form,utilizinganintricatepatterningof positiveandnegativeform--non-formsensibility

throughout.Therewereotherpiecestoo,butwhatIremembermostfromthatshowwasan

overallsenseof wonder,amazement,andsurprise;somethingakintothefeelingonegets

whenpokingaroundintidepoolsatthebeachanddiscoveringthemultitudeof unfamiliar

lookingorganismsinside.Andknowingthattheyallhavetheirownfunction,withsomesort

of fundamentalpurposeandrighttoexistence,yetnotquiteknowingwhatitisorbeingable

toarticulateitinanintellectualdiscourse.

Ortbal’sartworksdonotcommunicateanysenseof contrivance,insteadthey

arequietlypresentforms,originatingfromwhereIcannotsay;theytendtohaveanearly

primordial–always-been-herekindof quality.Thoughatthesametime,weeasilycan

recognizethewit,intellect,andplayfulnessof acontemporaryAmericanartistinthemas

well,manifestthroughsometypeof creativeprocessinaBayAreaStudiousingmaterialsone

couldpurchaseatCostco,HomeDepot,ortheDollarStore.

Ihaveoftentimesthoughtof RobertOrtbal’sworkasakindof artisticalchemy,a

delightfultransmutationforgedbytakingeveryday(andnot-so-everyday)industrialmaterials

intoazoneof nerve-cluster-likeganglionicsculpturalformsthatintrigue,inspire,entertain,

yetdenycategorizationordefinition.If youtalkwiththeartist,hewilltellyouaboutthe

numerousthoughtformshehasinvestedintothesesculpturesandhissculpturalprocess:

frominvestigationsof architecturalstructuresof scents,toexplorationsof theintricaciesof

rococofluxandflutter.Yetultimately,thejourneyishisown,andwhencontemplatingthe

workswithyourowneyesandmind,thejourneybecomesyourown.

�

Foryears,Ihavewonderedwhatkindof installationRobertOrtbalwoulddoif

invitedtoexhibithisworkattheWiegandGallery.Theroughquarriedstonewalls,andthe

dialoguetheyinitiatebetweenthevariousmaterialsthatthegalleryisconstructedof,makes

thisanythingbutaneutralspace--oneIfindinspiringaswellasnodoubtachallengingone

foraninstallationorientedartisttoworkwith.Thereisatransformativesensibilitytothe

spacethatIfindparallelstheworkof thisartist.A19thCenturyCarriagehouseistransformed

intoacontemporaryexhibitionvenueyetretainssomeof theessenceof itsoriginalformand

purpose.AsitiswithOrtbal’sworks:oncloseinspectionweseeandrecognizestyrofoams,

epoxyresins,brightlysaturatedhuesof flockedpaintcoatings,cast-off bitsof wireandso

on.Theyarenotfullyhiddenandsingtheirownquirkyshrillsongs.Thenwetakeastepback

andanotherformemerges,ourawarenessshifts.Andwhenweviewthempresentedagainst

theroughstonewallsof thegalleryspace,furthershiftsoccur,formsappearanddissolve,

openandclose.Thespacetooistransformedintoapseudo-organicentity.Asthebestof

showsalwaysdo,theindividualpiecesandspaceunite,andtheexperiencebecomesonethat

issingular,whileatthesametimeretainingsomethingof itsdualisticstructure.

IwouldliketoofferthanksandappreciationtoMawSheinWinforherpoetic

responsestotheartisticpiecesintheshow,andtoDeWittChengforhiscatalogessayon

RobertOrtbal’swork.Thisexhibitionwouldneverhavecometofruitionwithoutspecial

assistancefromWiegandGalleryCoordinatorsSimoneBaerandEllenHoward,alsomany

thankstoNDNUArtDepartmentChairBettyFriedman,andWiegandGalleryDirector

RobertPoplack.Theirworkhasbeeninvaluable.ThanksalsotoMattFarruggioforhis

photographicexpertise,andtoMattMatsuokaforhisphotographicandgraphicdesignskills.

Andof courseIoffermygratitudeandmanythankstoRobertOrtbalforhistirelessworkin

bringingtheseartworksandthisexhibitionintobeing.

PaulBridenbaugh

Curator

� �

�

Architecture of a Scent: Ginger - 2009Material description, 11” x 12” x 89”

� �

Architecture of a Scent: Nutmeg | 2008wire, plastic grapes, aqua resin, fiberglass, metal flakepaint, flock, ��” x �8” x 2�”

Architecture of a Scent: Cattails | 200�cut foam and dissected fake flower parts29” x 2�” x �”

8

topographical source | 200�foam, wire, paint ��” x ��” x 1�”

Architecture of a Scent: Lilies | 2008-09styrofoam, wire, paint and flock��” x �0” x �8”

9

On the stairway of the Tower of Victory there has lived since the beginning of time a being sensitive to the

many shades of the human soul and known as the A Bao A Qu. It lies dormant, for the most part on the first step,

until at the approach of a person some secret life is touched off in it, and deep within the creature an inner light begins

to glow. At the same time, its body and almost translucent skin begin to stir. But only when someone starts up the

spiraling stairs is the A Bao A Qu brought to consciousness, and then it sticks close to the visitor’s heels, keeping to the

outside of the turning steps, where they are most worn by the generations of pilgrims. At each level the creature’s color

becomes more intense, its shape approaches perfection, and the bluish light it gives off is more brilliant. But it achieves

its ultimate form only at the topmost step, when the climber is a person who has attained Nirvana and whose acts cast

no shadows...—JorgeLuisBorges,TheBookof ImaginaryBeings

RobertOrtbal’ssculpturesarerichlyprovocative,enigmatic,andhumorous.Withtheirreal

seedpods,burrs,andthistles,andtheirartificialstructuresmadeof undisguisedmetal,plastic,wire

andfoam,theyhintatsomemutationof plantlifeandgadgetry,butalso,totheengagedimagination,

aswarmof otherassociations.Theyinvokethenaturalworldwithoutresortingtonaturalismor

realism,andtheygloryintheirovertartificialitywithoutlapsingintodecoration.Inabrief reviewof

his2008TraywickGalleryshow,Iwrote:

Ascontemporaryarthaslargelyabandonedthetraditional“realistic”depictionof thenatural

world,ithasalsoembracedlowlymanufactureditemstoconveytheoldmodernistmessageof art’s

powertoremaketheworld,butwithplayfulpostmodernistirony.Thesculptureof ...RobertOrtbal

...explore[s]howhumansandnatureinteract:Ortbaldefamiliarizestheplantkingdomwithhiswitty,

bizarrefloralarrangementsinNeverland,itstitleperhapsareferencetoBarries’sandDisney’smagical

kingdoms.Ortbal’smaterials—wire,flocking,latextoolhandledip,Styrofoamballs,glossystickers,

mirroredmylar,plasticgrapes,resin—derivefromhardwarestoresandperhapsfromflorists’and

decorators’establishments,buttheartistimbueshissyntheticfabricationswithanuncannypoetry.

They’rebothabsurdintheirexuberantvitalityandsculpturallyintriguing.1

AnnElliottSherman2alsonotedtheartist’sseriousplayfulness,adding:“Ortbalgives

everythingequalweight.Histouchwiththematerialsislight,seekingnottotransformtheminto

somethingelsebutputtheiressentialqualitiestoeffectiveuse,sothateachthingisrecognizablyitself

andalsopartof somethingmore...theartistallowsthat...theworldweliveinisalreadyablendof the

artificialandorganic.”

10

Meridians: Second Principal | 2008-09wire, dissected fake flower parts, fabric balls, tree branchcotton pads, paint and flock, 1�0” x �8” x �0”

Tropisms

11

12

a second before the last | 200�foam, wood, paint, seed pods, fabric balls2�” x �0” x 21”

Meridians: First Principal | 2008-09wire, dissected fake flower parts, fabric ballsfelt, foam, mirrored mylar,paint, flock, fiberglass12�” x ��” x 28”

1�

1�

Thatsynthesisof dichotomiesisthefirstthingviewersnoteinthework.Ina second before the

last,ageometricstructureof rodssuggestiveof molecularmodelsandTinkerToysiscoveredby

spheres,bothfuzzyandspiky,suggestinganonslaughtbypollen,cellsorseaurchins.InMeridians:

Second Principal,aspindly,delicatestructureclingstothegallery’sroughstonewall;fromitstopdangle

smallspheresthatsuggesttheplanetsinanastronomicalmodel;atitsbottomare“flowers”that

resembletheelectrodeattachmentsforelectro-encephalogramreadings,ordeodorantpads;withits

taprootorspine,which,incidentally,holdsabitof treebranchpaintedandflockedadeepspiritual

blue,itanalogizesplantandhumanlife;anditstitlelinkstheimaginarylineswebestowonthe

cartographicallyconsideredplanetwiththoseweprojectontoourbilaterallysymmetricalbodies,asin

acupuncturediagrams.

Theallusivenessof Ortbal’shard-wonpoetry,however,iselusive:itresistsbeingreducedto

merenature/culture“hybridity.”IntheKurosawafilm,Rashomon,accountsof thesamedramatic

eventbythreeparticipantsorwitnessescontradicteachother:truthissubjective.InafamousIndian

parable,fiveblindmenconfidentlybutincompletelydescribeanelephantas,variously,atree,a

wall,atreestump,arope,orasnake,allfailingtograsptheentirety.Inouropen-ended,polyvalent

postmodernera,withitsmulticulturallackof anoverarchingculturalnarrativeormyth,andits

perpetualbarrageof information,thetemporaryilluminationof thepartialvieworaspectwould

seemtobethemostthatwecouldreasonablyexpect.

Despitehisacceptanceof humancontingencyandestheticartifice,Ortbalisnopassive

postmodernistrecyclerof mediaimages.Hissculptures,foralltheirgloriousoddness,areimbued

withamysteriousanthropomorphicpresencethatchallengesviewerstoanalyzetheiremotionalas

wellastheirintellectualresponses.Theartistoncelikenedtherepeateddippingof earlierpiecesinto

beeswaxtoanoyster’sgradualcoatingof asandgraincreatingapearl,considering“painastheroot

causeandinspirationfor...newgrowth.”Now,regenerationisathemethatinformsallof thework,

andtheideaof psychicwoundingasagoadtocreativity,is,of course,anold,romanticone,butif we

considertheirritantasastimulus,somethingtoassimilateandtransform,thenviewerscanre-enact

theartist’screativesearchasweexaminetheworkinaself-aware,phenomenologicalmanner.The

worksaskustoquestionourpresenceandparticipationinthenaturalworld,whichisgraduallyfusing

withtheculturalworld.Theydonotbemoanhumanactivity;theyimagine,sometimeshumorously,

anewcooperation—regeneration.Theyaremetaphorsfornatureandcultureintertwinedand

interdependent.

Metaphors,whichanalogizeonethingtoanother,alsoimplymetamorphosis.(Itistelling

1� 1�

Benign: Growth and Neglect | 2008steel, styrofoam, dirt, roots, paint, flock��” x ��” x 1�”

thattheartistfoundinspirationinthe“minor”decorativeartsof theelegantlyplayfulRococoandArt

Nouveaustylesof theearly18thandlate19thcenturies,respectively;bothfeaturestylizedsinuouslines

andafancifulcross-disciplinarymeldingof animal,vegetableandmineralmotifs.)Picasso’ssculptures

aregoodexamplesof metaphoricalambiguityanddoubleidentity:abicycleseatandhandlebars

metamorphoseintoabull’shead;atoycarmetamorphosesintoababoon’shead.Ortbal3:“Whenyou’re

makinghybridformitalmostalwaysspeaksof thingsfromthesea,becausewhenyou’relookingat,say,

coral,it’sananimalthatlookslikeaplant.Itautomaticallyhasthatabilitytocrossoverandbeslippery

initsclassification...I’mafteressences...Itrytounderstandpatternsinnatureandhowtheycombine

andinteractwithhumannature.”Theartistalsospeaksof hisambition,oneheldincommonwithearly

twentieth-centuryabstractionistsandsurrealists,tocreateformdepictingmentalstates“beyondour

physicalperception.”Synesthesia,e.g.,the“seeing”of sound,orthe“hearing”of color,isahybridsense

withwhichsomepeopleareendowed(includingKandinsky,if Iremembercorrectly).Ortbal,whohas

synestheticallyentitledoneseriesof piecesTheArchitectureof aScent,said4,“Isearchforthehidden

growthwithinrealandimaginedspacestoarticulatepsychologicalstatesof being.”Hismetaphors,then,

standforthenaturalprocessesof birth,growth,declineanddecay,butalsoforculture—formental

statesandprocesses;theyaremetaphorsforbeingsentientintheworld—forbeing,inOrtbal’swords,

“chemistryandconsciousness.”Thefactthatthey’remadenotof thetraditional“noble”materialsof

bronze,marbleandgilt,butof humblestuff foundoutdoors(seedpods,treebranches),scavengedfrom

dumpsters(packagingfoam),boughtatdollarstores(toys,artificialplants,cottonballs,needles,plastic

cups,fabricballs,flocking),big-boxhomefix-itcenters(tooldip,sprayfoam,wire,paint,latex,hoses,

chickenwire)orevenartmaterialsstores(beeswax,metalflake,resin)onlymakesthesebundlesof

contradictionsthemorerichandwondrous.

—DeWittCheng

1DeWittCheng,“ModelMagic,”EastBayExpress,September10,2008

2AnnElliottSherman,“ColorScales,”Metroactive,May2,1996

3QuotedbyDavidM.Roth,“ArtistProfile,”ArtLtd.,November/December2008

4QuotedinOaklandMuseumpressreleasefor2004showatsatelliteGallery555,

http://www.museumca.org/satelite/ortbal.html

1�

Architecture of a Scent: Cardamom | 200�-09steel, wire, styrofoam, plastic straws, paint, tire shavings�2” x �8” x 1�”

1�

1819

20

Architecture of a Scent: Ginger | 2008wire, plastic straws, resin, flock, paint, yarn��” x ��” x ��”

21

Mistletoe | 2008wood, soaker hose, wire, seed pods, foam, paint11” x 12” x 89”

22

Cartographer’s Dilemma: Charting a Sneeze | 2008mirrored mylar, foam, wood, aqua resin, wire, fiberglass, paint, flock��” x �1” x 10”

22 2�

Chords of Inquiry | 200�wire, foil, resin, fabric balls, foam, paint, flock2�” x 1�” x 1�”

2� 2�

Neverland | 2008styrofoam, paint and flock�0” x �0” x �0”

detail - Architecture of a Scent: Cattails - pg �2�

furred sound

a partial recovery

a bottle-green beetle inches

its way across a limb

ginger-orange flocking

envelops wiry tentacles

pleated spheres

a flowering dilemma

28 detail - Architecture of a Scent: Ginger - pg 20

intuitive fountains

& the bells’ allure

a flock of bird

cages in flight

�0 detail - Hydra - pg ��

metallic flake, russet yarns

slivers of ginger on the tongue

botany and reverie

the book of delight and other papers

�2 detail - Architecture of a Scent: Nutmeg - pg �

fervent seed pods hum

airspun foam ruminates

crescent feathers subside

a starling in the echo lodge

�� detail - a second before the last - pg 12

detail - Architecture of a Scent: Lilies - pg 9

5:47 pm

a girl laughing in the attic

a copperhead coiled in the brambles

a hedgehog sleeping in the grove

a slice of orange drops on the carpet

��

detail - topographical source - pg 8

where do the fireflies alight?

why does the eucalyptus slither?

what is the origin of smoke?

how are the shades drawn?

when will the osprey awake?

how does obsession count?

how does the hay stack up?

will they dream of faded suede?

why honey and not salt?

why does the sea foam?

�9

Maw Shein Win

�2 ��

Hydra | 200�wire, foam, resin, flock, paint, tool dip��” x �2” x 2�”

next to last | 200�wire, foam, latex, wood, paint, flock, fabric balls��” x 2�” x 20”

Satellite | 2008foam, aqua resin, woodplastic cups, paint1�” x 18” x 1�”

Parallel Questions: Growth and Neglect | 2008-09discarded shrubs, aqua resin, stryofoam, insulation foamaluminum, paint, flock�0” x �2” x ��”

��

��

Parallel Questions: Growth and Neglect | 2008-09discarded shrubs, aqua resin, stryofoam, insulation foamaluminum, paint, flock�0” x �2” x ��”

Selected Solo Exhibitions:

2008 Neverland,TraywickContemporary,Berkeley,CA

2007 untold wrinkles,Jay-Jay,Sacramento,CA

2006 Oxygen’s Shadow,CabrilloGallery,CabrilloCollege,Soquel,CA

2004 New Kingdom,TheOaklandMuseumof CaliforniaatCityCenter,Oakland,CA

2001 seeing is believing,Pond,SanFrancisco,CA

1998 Behind One’s Eyes,1078Gallery,Chico,CA

1996 Lullaby,FourWalls,SanFrancisco,CA

1996 Between Red and Green,SanJoseInstituteof ContemporaryArt,SanJose,CA

1995 as above, so below,RichmondArtCenter,Richmond,CA

1994 Taste and See,OhloneCollege,Fremont,CA

Selected Installations:

2007 Wallworks III,TraywickContemporary,Berkeley,CA

2005 Eureka Fellowship Exhibition, Universityof California,BerkeleyArtMuseum

2004 above and beneath,OaklandArtGallery,Oakland,CA

2001 February’s Song,SculptureSpace,Utica,NY

2000 Openings,9-1-1MediaArtsCenter,Seattle,WA

1999 What is Art for?,TheOaklandMuseumof California,Oakland,CA

1998 Fertile Waste,BoulderMuseumof ContemporaryArt,Boulder,CO

1997 Openings,SanFranciscoArtsCommissionGallery,SanFrancisco,CA

1996 Host, SanFranciscoMuseumof ModernArtArtistsGallery,SanFrancisco,CA

1995 Navigate: breakfast and desire, ASIS,CaliforniaCollegeof ArtsandCrafts,Oakland,CA

1994 Stones: The weight of ripening, ContractDesignCenter,SanFrancisco,CA

1993 Black/White? No neophyte,OptsArtGallery,SanFrancisco,CA

1992 at the end of desire,SeeingTimeSeries,KalaInstitute,Berkeley,CA

Selected Group Exhibitions:

2007 Work-A-Day,BlankSpaceGallery,Oakland,CA

2007 Watershed,Snyderman-WorksGallery,Philadelphia,PA

2006 Chapter Two: A show of objects,NewYorkDesignCenter,NewYork,NY

2006 Berkeley-Saki Exchange Exhibition,Saki,Japan

2005 M Theory,HosfeltGallery,SanFrancisco,CA

2005 Ornament: The Art of Desire,SanJoseInstituteof ContemporaryArt

2003 Needle Art: A postmodern sewing circle,Atravelingexhibitionvisiting

14museumsandartcentersacrosstheUnitedStates

�8

2002 Being There: 45 Oakland Artists,TheOaklandMuseumof California,Oakland,CA

2000 Knowing you, Knowing Me,TheLab,SanFrancisco,CA,catalog

1999 Needle Art,DeanLesherCenterfortheArts,BedfordGallery,WalnutCreek,CA

1998 20th Anniversary Exhibition,S.F.M.O.M.A.ArtistsGallery,SanFrancisco,CA

1997 Stirred Not Shaken,Refusalon,SanFrancisco,CA,catalog

1996 Natural Phenomena,DeanLesherCenterfortheArts,BedfordGallery,WalnutCreek,CA

1994 Cross Currents,HolyNamesCollege,Oakland,CA

1993 Pro Arts Annual,ProArtsGallery,Oakland,CA,catalog

1992 The Object is Bound,StephenWirtzGallery,SanFrancisco,CA

1991 North by Northeast,RichmondArtCenter,Richmond,CA

1990 Introductions,GalleryPauleAnglim,SanFrancisco,CA

Commissions:

2008 Reveries: Water and Sky,Universityof California,DavisMedicalCenter,Sacramento,CA

2007 I am you, he is she,OaklandInternationalAirport,Oakland,CA

2005 Pollinate,BathClubs,MiamiBeach,FL

Selected Reviews:

Baker,Kenneth.“IsSmallBeautiful.”SanFranciscoChronicle,April5,1997

_____.“TwoNewOutlooksonConceptualArt.”SanFranciscoChronicle,July31,1996

_____.“Exhibitions:PacificDreams.”SanFranciscoChronicle,March18,1995

Bonetti,David.“Thereisa‘there’atOaklandshow.”SanFranciscoChronicle,March27,2002

_____.“Freshnames,staleperspective.”SanFranciscoExaminer,July20,1990

Buck,David.“Ornamentation:TheArtof Desire.” Artweek,March2006,Volume37Issue2

Cheng,DeWitt.“ModelMagic.”EastBayExpress,Sept.10,2008,Vol30Issue49

Cohn,Terri.“NeedleArt.”NewArtExaminer,September,1999

Dalkey,Victoria.“FallPreview:On&Off theWall.”SacramentoBee,September23,2007

_____.“AProfessionof Art.”SacramentoBee,April25,2008

Dunn,Edward.“Ortbal,wrinklesandall.”SacramentoNewsandReview,Nov8,2007,Volume19

ElliotSherman,Ann.“ColorScales.”Metro,May2,1996

Fahey,Anna.“Spotlight:RobertOrtbal,SeattleWeekly.”August10,2000

Hall,Emily.“Drive-ByArt.”TheStrangerSeattle,August31,2000,Vol.9,No.50

Helfand,Glen.“StirredNotShaken.”SanFranciscoBayGuardian,March19,1997

Goldsmith,Meredith.“NewKingdom.” Artweek,Oct,2004#35Issue8

Maclay,Cathrine.“TheLightFantastic.”SanJoseMercuryNews,April12,1993

�9

Meeker,Cheryl.“HighConceptHandWork.”www.stretcher.org,November2001

Morrison,Barbara.“KnowingYou,KnowingMe.”Artweek,May/June,#30,2000

Roth,DavidM.“ArtistProfile.”ArtLtd,Nov/Dec,2008

Sylva,Bob.“Vision,unclouded.”SacramentoBee,December2,2007

Vaughn,MichaelJ.“DecktheWalls.”TheWaveMagazine,December,2005

Selected Catalogs:

untold wrinkles,Jay-Jay,Sacramento,CA,2007.TextbyDianaL.Daniels

Eureka, The Eureka Fellowship Awards 2002-2004.Universityof CaliforniaBerkeleyArtMuseumandPacificFilmArchive,Text

byConstanceM.Lewallen

Being There: 45 Oakland Artists,TheOaklandMuseumof California,2002.TextbyPhilipLinhares

Knowing You, Knowing Me,TheLab,SanFrancisco,CA2000.TextbyDeanSmith,

Behind One’s Eyes,Gallery1078,Chico,CA1998.TextbyLisaMartelandMaryStump

Between Red and Green,SanJoseInstituteof ContemporaryArt,1996.TextbySheilaD.Pickett

as above, so below,RichmondArtCenter,Richmond,CA1995.TextbyJeff Nathanson,SandraRodgersandTimothyT.Taylor

Fellowships - Artists Residencies - Awards:

2004 EurekaFellowship–FleishhackerFoundation,SanFrancisco,CA

2001 SculptureSpace,Utica,NY

1992 WatershedCenterfortheCeramicArts,Edgecomb,ME

1990 SkowheganSchoolof PaintingandSculpture,Skowhegan,ME

1988 GraduateResearchAward,Divisionof GraduateResearchandHumanities,Universityof California,Davis

�0 �1

Benign:GrowthandNeglect

AlltextandessaysCopywrite©WiegandGallery

PaulBridenbaugh,DeWittChengandMawSheinWin

AllPhotographsCopywrite©MattFaruggioandRobertOrtbal

Allartworks©RobertOrtbal

Usedbypermissiononly.Allrightsreserved

CataloglayoutMattMatsuoka

PrintedEditionOneStudios,Berkeley,Ca

NotreDamedeNamurUniversity

WiegandGallery

RobertOrtbal

January23rdtoFebruary8th,2009

Cover: detail - Cartographer’s Dilemma: Charting a Sneeze- pg 22

�2

Wiegand Gallery Development Board/Volunteer Council

Karen Rhodes, PresidentJoan Andre

Simone BaerHernan BucheliJohn CarmanJohn Curran

Betty FriedmanEllen HowardMark Lewis

Gordon J. LoughlinWilliam McDonaldDr. Jean Nyland

David R. PackardRobert Poplack, Director

Terry St. JohnZeb Stewart

Charles StrongRod Titus

Karen Tallackson BaconJoan Ward

Wiegand Gallery Director’s CircleGordon J. LoughlinWilliam McDonald

Karen Rhodes

Wiegand Gallery StaffRobert Poplack, Curator and Director

Betty Friedman, DesignPaul Bridenbaugh, Guest Curator

Ellen Howard and Simone Baer, Gallery Coordinators

Wiegand GalleryNotre Dame de Namur University

1500 Ralston AveBelmont, CA 94002

(650) 508-3595www.wiegandgallery.org