Joanie Turbek: Minor Malfunction
Resident Artist Solo Exhibition
November 6 - November 29, 2009Opening Reception First Friday, November 6, 5-9pm
Joanie Turbek, currently a Resident Artist at The Clay Studio, received her MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art and her BFA from Alfred University. She also serves as The Clay Studio's Education Coordinator.
The Good Friend Project, 2007, slip cast porcelain, packing material, cake - 5.5"W x 3"H, $150.00 each plus shipping. "It seems to me that I never have enough time to both be a good friend and keep up my studio practice. In an effort to be more efficient I have created The Good Friend Project. I sent out a mass email to all of my friends asking for their mailing address and birth date. I then made a mold of a birthday cake and cast enough for everyone who responded. I boxed up one cake per person, and then stamped the boxes with the words DO NOT OPEN UNTIL and then their birthday. Finally, I brought all of the boxes to the post office and sent them all out fulfilling my birthday commitments for the year."
Turbek is a sculptor, installation, and performance artist and a maker of objects. She describes her work as “pieces that function both as sculpture as well as props for social interaction. The viewer must perform with the piece in order to use it. Through lowbrow materials and simple, transparent mechanics I encourage the viewer to approach the work with the same candor that they might approach exercise equipment.” Turbek’s background in functional ceramics “has taught me the value of this personal, unassuming relationship. That there is truth and honesty to objects we can approach and understand in a physical way”.
Duck Under: People that Play Hard to Get, Always Get the Most Attention, 2008, ceramic, concrete, foam, wood, vent pipe, mixed media, 3'L x 3'W x 8'H, NFS. "This sculpture attempts to offer the participant a moment of respite in a crowded room. Ironically the act of trying to avoid interaction by using this sculpture will often cause the participant to be the center of attention."
Turbek’s process begins with invention, “each piece is an attempt to fulfill a personal and specific human need. Efficiency is not necessarily valuable when dealing with personal issues; therefore metaphor and humor dictate form. In our society, the products we own are a clear portrayal of who we are and what is important to us. I see my work as a form of portraiture, both of myself and of the communities into which it is inserted”.
Prosthetic Lawn, 2009, grass, found bottles, wood, light, 8'L x 4'W x 9'H, NFS. "Prosthetic Lawn is used to recreate the experience of lying on the grass in an indoor space. It is portable and has been installed in galleries, on rooftops, and in other places where a permanent patch of grass would not be feasible. Prosthetic Lawn comes equipped with a humidifier to replicate the experience of lying on the grass in the early morning and a heat light to replicate lying in the grass midday."
Clay vs. Cupcakes, porcelain, 3"W x 3.5"H, $65.00 each. "When you cast a piece of food that object is lost, it can no longer be eaten. Sometimes after I cast something that looked really tasty, I wonder if it is really worth it. I am not questioning the value of my work, it's just cupcakes are really good and I would rather eat a cupcake than look at one. I decided to bring this question to a larger audience. I cast a basket full of cupcakes and went out to a few bakeries to see if people would rather buy a real cupcake or porcelain cupcake for the same price ($2.50) . Most people just wanted to eat a cupcake."
The power of Turbek’s work lies in her ability to capture a moment in time and recreate an emotional experience or memory that is universally understood. Her pieces spark memories and experiences through sensory stimulation – be it touch and/or sound, or through purposefully selected objects.
Being Close to Disaster & Other Things that Make You Feel Lucky, porcelain, mixed media, Dimensions Variable, NFS.
Whether listening to her falling drops of “rain” or feeling the warmth of her “sun” while lying on her “lawn”, all that one needs to do is close their eyes to be transported to a different place in their own mind. Turbek’s ability to personalize each viewer's experience is incredibly special, powerful and unique.
If you are interested in purchasing a cupcake or cake, please call Erin Nagyfy at
