Chris Sauter: Domestic Archaeology

March 30–June 14, 2008

(left to right) Chris Sauter, Plow Flag (detail), American flag, 11 x 12 x 12'; Constellation Pigot (detail), Photograph and fabricated telescope, 32 x 24”; The Known Universe (detail), Telescope fabricated from constructed bedroom, 12 x 12 x 12'.

Chris Sauter (TX) physically deconstructs walls and objects. With meticulous craftsmanship, he then reinvents them into something new. Sauter instills each new creation with multiple meanings by constructing visual metaphors that relate the individual elements.

Sauter plans to create a site-specific piece titled Plow for his Arts Center exhibition. The plow is a recurrent theme in his work, and draws a parallel between the beginnings of agriculture and civilization while symbolizing humanity’s potential for growth and change. Furthering these ideas, Sauter specifically explores the various meanings of turning over land.

In The Known Universe, Sauter looks to his past, recreating a fullscale replica of his childhood bedroom. The enclosed room is punctured with hundreds of holes drilled through the walls and ceiling to mimic a constellation. Light streaming through the holes illuminates the bedroom. A telescope—built from the cut-out pieces, poised to look outward—symbolizes the artist’s attempt to locate his place in the world and the influences that have contributed to his identity.

Dates are subject to change. Please call ahead. For more information on the opening celebration and the exhibition, please call 920-458-6144.