The Blanden Memorial Art Museum is opening a new show for young artist Taylor Laufersweiler on Saturday. An opening reception will be today from 2-4:30 p.m., with an artist lecture expected around 3 p.m. The reception is open to the public. 

Taylor Laufersweiler is a Fort Dodge native and achieved his Bachelors of Fine Arts from University of Iowa. He would later spend time at the Yale Norfolk School of Art and achieve his Masters in Fine Arts from Hunter College in 2020. Laufersweiler currently lives and works out of Brooklyn, New York.  

The show is titled “Out Of Place” and features a collection of Laufersweiler’s oil paintings. When talking with the artist, Laufersweiler said the show was the “culmination of everything” when it comes to the ideas he works with. He originally started utilizing formal techniques of painting, and soon branched out into dealing with ideas of space, perception and identity. Laufersweiler said he was always drawn to art and began working with more traditional imagery. Later on, he said his work began taking on a more abstract look. When it comes to the material aspect of the work in the show, Laufersweiler stated that he went with oil paints, as opposed to acrylic paints, because of the way they work with the light. Oil paint has a higher luminosity compared to acrylic paint. Oil also takes longer to dry which makes it a more flexible material to work with and there will not be a shift in color when the paint goes from palette to canvas.  

Another aspect of oil paints is how smoothly an artist is able to blend different colors. Laufersweiler does this throughout the pieces in the show to create images that work within liminal spaces, liminal meaning transitional, and timing. In his artist statement for the show, which can be found on the Blanden’s website and at the gallery, Laufersweiler emphasizes spatial and abstract structural elements to create his own realm within the work. Laufersweiler also plays upon the chaotic nature of his abstract imagery to force the viewer to reorient and alter their gaze on the work to fully take in the paintings. The show is filled with work that showcases striking and thought-provoking imagery. With these images and ideas, Laufersweiler presents a captivating collection at the Blanden. 

The show will run now through Sept. 17 in the second floor gallery. The Blanden Memorial Art Museum, located at 920 3rd Ave. S., is open to the public every Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.