Robson exhibit opens in Kansas City

Donald Robson, Concordia's art department chair, had his works on display in two galleries in Kansas City. The exhibit ran Tuesday, May 4, through Saturday, June 5, at Imago Dei Gallery and at Satellite Gallery from Tuesday, June 8, until Saturday, July 3.

"Run and Help" showcased mixed media works on paper exploring the challenging issues inherent to spiritual, interpersonal and spatial relationships. "Although my works are inherently autobiographical, the issues I explore are universal," explained Robson.  "I'm drawn to the challenging issues in relationships, the ones that force us to try harder or give up altogether. They are the issues that we're often more acutely sensitive to and stay with us for our lifetime."

Robson strove to communicate complex these issues with limited visual information, focusing on three key aspects: heads, color fields and words.  Using sentences written by first graders, Robson juxtaposed the heads against the sentences, suggesting themes of desperation, loss, longing and acceptance. "I came across a grouping of sentences a first grader had composed to help him with penmanship. Taken out of the context in which they were written, they became very cryptic and mysterious."

Robson hopes the images and wonderment about them will remain with the viewers after they walk away from the pieces.