Visual arts talk
“Ken Butler: Hybrid Visions”
The Western Gallery at Western Washington University in Bellingham will present “Ken Butler: Hybrid Visions” from Jan. 20 through March 14.
Born and raised in Portland, Ore., Butler is a highly regarded mixed media artist, instrument builder, composer and musician. His hybrid musical instruments, installations and performances explore the interaction and transformation of common objects, sounds and silence.
“Ken Butler: Hybrid Visions” is a collection of Butler’s unique instruments made out of such materials as antlers, machine guns, prosthetic limbs and metal detectors.
“The initial motivation for making my hybrids had very little to do with the idea of expanding the range of musical instruments,” Butler said. “It was much more about a sculptural investigation and, to this day, remains more about the visual and poetic character of the instruments. There is something about using whatever is at hand … and assembling them in references to head-neck-body shapes that resonates with me.”
In conjunction with the exhibition, Butler will offer a performance at 7 p.m. Feb. 11 followed by a lecture discussing his music and the process of creating his instruments. The event is free, but tickets are required as seating is limited. Tickets are available through the WWU Box Office, 360-650-6146 or see www.tickets.wwu.edu.
The Western Gallery is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, except for Wednesdays when it is open until 8 p.m., and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays. For more exhibition details, go to www.westerngallery.wwu.edu/.
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