“All the targets have writing on the back. It’s mainly stream of consciousness writing. I wanted it to feel kind of blues country on the back, the language I’m using.”
The tone of the work mixes the melancholy of blues country with the improvisation of jazz.
“You observe the thought and go on to the next thought,” said Thiele.
In his studio practice, Thiele uproots formal decisions by playing with the conventions of the frame. He builds triangular stretchers and drives nail tacks straight through the canvas edge. He layers strips of canvas given to him by friends, family and strangers. His approach is tactile and prolific, with oil paint applied “wet-on-wet”, often working on the floor to achieve different textures through the raw surface.
Thiele often works collaboratively, including on films with his two brothers. During the COVID-19 pandemic they shot their first feature length, “Sofa, So Good,” on location in Dayton. It has screened both locally and at festivals in Cleveland and London.
Thiele says that the film work and the painting practice are inherently connected.
“It’s all the same work to me, a continual process.
“‘A Hundred Moving Targets’ is an exploration of repeating a simple shape to see if its quantity and meaning changed the more it was repeated,” Thiele said.
Visual influences include the instinctual approach of the avant-garde CoBrA school of art, as well as tapestries and decorative flags of India and Costa Rica.
“They are colorful fabrics designed to fill the space and interact with the environment around them.”
He hopes the collection of paintings at Blue House will have a similar effect.
“The body of work is not done. The ‘targets’ will continually change as will the definition of ‘a hundred’ in this series. So if five of these targets find a home, they’ll be refilled.”
Thiele, who also DJs and has worked at Omega Records, says Brian Eno is a favorite musician. Eno works with “generative music”, a method of setting up formulas to keep the music evolving and playing past the artist’s own life. It’s not quite AI, but the work does take on a life of its own.
“I like the idea that the work is never done and keeps growing. To repeat something turns it into a mantra or a prayer,” said Thiele.
HOW TO GO
What: A Hundred Moving Targets, New Works by Kyle Thiele
When: Opening Reception, 6-9 p.m. Oct. 11. Exhibit open through Oct. 31. Open gallery hours 4-6 p.m. Fridays or by appointment
Where: The Blue House Arts, 3325 Catalpa Drive, Dayton
Contact: (937) 829-8016 and thebluehousearts.org
More details: Free and open to the public. Parking nearest the house for visitors with mobility issues. Additional parking in lot next door at The DURC.
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