A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To An Exhibition
Steven "Rusty" Coe and Chloe Lewis
Virtual
What was going to be an exhibition, turned into a virtual collaboration that ended
in a zine. 2020 has been a roller coaster ride for all of us. We've been living through
unprecedented times that lurch us back and forth emotionally and economically. Worlds
collide and worlds quarantine. We adjust to protect ourselves and our loved ones and
we explore new ways of engaging with our goals, our community, and our expression.
Back in 2019, Chloe Lewis and Rusty Coe began talking about an ArtLab installation
that involved story telling through their digital illustration (Chloe Lewis) and sculpture
(Steven "Rusty" Coe). Ideas were shared, meetings happened, excitement grew about
the exhibition. Then, in March 2020, the news about Covid-19 hit and, well, everyone
knows what happened after that.
We continued with plans for the October 2020 exhibition in hopes that we might be
back to "normal" by the fall. By August, Chloe (who lives in NYC) began expressing
doubs about being able to fly down to Fort Myers to install her work. By the beginning
of the Fall semester, we here at FGCU weren't sure about campus being open for long
after we all returned to classes. Chloe and Rusty began to question the feasibility
of a live exhibition.
We started rethinking how to move forward in certainty during such an uncertain time.
Our solution was to create a zine that would foster some kind of community spirit
and offer a fun project.
FGCU Art students and FGCU Art alumni were asked to contribute elements that Chloe
and Rusty could weave into the art zine they were creating. The theme of “adaptation,
reflection, and exploration” combines those contributions with the digital illustrations
of Chloe Lewis and the landscapes, photography and illustrations of Rusty Coe in a
4 color zine. We hope that you enjoy the end product:
Sponsored by The Layden Family Foundation and The Smith Family Foundation of Estero
Image credit: collaborative image with Steven "Rusty" Coe and Chloe Lewis
