Book spines and covers are canvas for Rice Gallery’s summer window

Book spines and covers are canvas for Rice Gallery’s summer window

BY JESSICA STARK
Rice News staff

Thousands of donated discarded books have found a new home at Rice University, but not in the library, as convention would expect. The books are the canvas for Los Angeles artist Mike Stilkey in the Rice Gallery’s fifth summer window series, which opens June 4.

The books used in the installation, “When the Animals Rebel,” are stacked or laid flat against a 16-by-44-foot wall. The book spines and covers create a large surface area on which Stilkey paints his elongated, contour-lined figures — humans and humanized animals.

“I see shape and lives in books and there’s something magical about painting on them and breathing new stories into them,” Stilkey said. “I feel like my paintings can create a second life for the books.”

The figures were inspired by a song that he wrote a couple of years ago about the overconsumption among humans.

“When the Animals Rebel,” a new installation by Los Angeles artist Mike Stilkey, opens June 4. It is the fifth installation in Rice Gallery’s Summer Window series, which features work that can be viewed through the gallery’s front glass wall while the gallery remains closed for the summer.

“I find myself going back to that song because I am constantly reminded how humans keep taking and keep pushing animals out,” Stilkey said. “I am fascinated thinking about what would happen if the animals ever did rebel and took on the role of humans.”

The summer window provides a snapshot into those thoughts as the acrylic and ink images of humanized animals and humans taking part in the various activities of city life, such as driving cars, riding bikes and walking.

“I have never done anything of this scale before, so I was incredibly excited and intimidated by the opportunity,” Stilkey said. “I feel very honored to be commissioned by the Rice Gallery because it has featured so many big names and is known for its excellent unique show space. It’s quite a draw.”

Stilkey hopes that after the exhibit at Rice the installation will be featured in other galleries and museums. His predecessor, Alyson Shotz,, who created “The Shape of Space” for the summer window in 2004, has enjoyed such success. Her installation currently stands in the lobby of the Guggenheim, which took the name of its summer exhibition from her title.

Stilkey’s advice to other young and emerging artists is simple: “Do what you love. I didn’t start drawing until I was 20 and I’m not formally trained. But I do it; I do it because I love it. I think more people should get to say that about their lines of work.”

In 2005, Stilkey published “One Hundred Portraits,” an artist book featuring portraits painted on the pages of an old book. More information on Stilkey and his work can be found at www.mikestilkey.com.

The summer window will show through Aug. 31, Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The installation can be viewed through the gallery’s front glass wall while the gallery remains closed for the summer. Although no gallery attendant will be on duty, free educational materials will be available. A closing gallery talk and luncheon with the artist will be held at noon Aug. 30.  The event is free and open to the public.