Pacific Index

Art review from a non-artist 

   During my stay at Pacific, I’ve witnessed and reviewed more Cawein Art Gallery Exhibitions than most— everything from abstract portraits to larger-than-life sculptures. Recently, I had the opportunity to look through the work of artist and Pacific University Professor, Tyler Brumfield. His new personal exhibit, Make Many Things, currently resides in the quiet gallery. This extensive collection ranges from iPhone photography to “Churner Tables” made of wood and glass, to graphic design work from public safety signage. The “typical” gallery, from my experience, usually showcases more theme and cohesion than what is broadcast in this exhibit. And if this were, in fact, a “typical” gallery, as I have seen in the past, I might question the choice to put so many different elements into one exhibit.

   But as Arts and Culture Editor Candle Riggs found out in her previous article talking to Brumfield, this was all part of the plan. Brumfield states briefly in Riggs’ article that this exhibit is a creative showcase of all different artistic and creative activities, and his goal was to make each piece of work feel like a different person. With this background, the gallery starts to make more sense as a collection of his work over time and not quite a “one-theme” project.

   Out of the collection, the pieces that caught my eye most were hung on the last wall, facing north. On this wall, three pieces are shown: an AI-generated piece of Jeff Bezos as King Tuff, a cutout of a landscape transformed with cellophane, and a “gun swaddle” diagram. For me, what separated these pieces from the others was the political and cultural message. In my opinion, a whole gallery focused on modern takes on historical political issues would have been extremely captivating.

   In “Bezos The First,” Brumfield uses generative AI to highlight the striking similarities between 20th-century billionaires and the ancient Pharos. Brumfield says in the caption, “They possess unlimited resources and unchecked power. Their empires are built on the backs of those below them, who live and die by their whims.” I think the power of billionaires is always an issue worth addressing, and I really enjoy the modern, slightly controversial choice to use AI when manufacturing this piece.

   Skipping over the cellophaned landscape, my absolute favorite piece of work from this gallery was the “Gun Swaddle.” I think the simplicity of this piece really speaks volumes about the importance of gun violence and its connection to children in the United States. Brumfield says in the piece’s caption that after his daughter was born, he was taken aback by the lack of strong gun laws within the U.S. He writes, “This work takes the form of step-by-step visual instructions for how to properly swaddle a baby. A handgun replaces the baby as the precious object that is cared for, comforted, and cradled.” A commentary on the who and what the U.S. government chooses to prioritize when it comes to federal law.

   Overall, this gallery’s unique style was definitely new for me as a casual viewer, but I can appreciate the personality that shines through in this exhibit. I’m so used to prominent themes or obvious similarities when observing galleries that Make Many Things forced me to look at every piece as an individual, with a different message than the last. A quality I didn’t realize I had lost when observing previous exhibits.