Exhibitions
FOUND : CLINT IMBODEN
Select works by mixed media artist Clint Imboden
Wilted, page 2
Exhibitions at One Union is pleased to present Found, an installation of mixed media works by Bay Area artist Clint Imboden. Found includes work that candidly reveals human psychological states, artfully probes the significance of unconscious associations and subtly communicates lost histories. In his two series “Utensils” and “Wilted”, Imboden uses letters from an unnamed clinical patient to create a biography that intersects raw, textual content with flawless, visual composition. The effect of a precise and serene aesthetic giving way to torrid prose is astonishing and ultimately hypnotizing. Imboden’s photographic series, “Found”, from whose title the exhibition derives its name, consists of prints that catalogue daily purchases made at flea markets over many mornings. Although they are not related to Imboden’s professional work, the objects contain histories equally absorbing as those detailed in the letters from his patient. Imboden instinctively recognizes the potential for images, text and objects to achieve new aesthetic and psychological implications by displacing them in unforeseen environments and presenting them in surprising juxtapositions. “Utensils”, “Wilted” and “Found” are among several of Imboden’s series and individual works on view at One Union. “Found” invites you to discover regenerated meaning in the disregarded material of our everyday lives.
Imboden began his artistic career as a black and white photographer over twenty years ago. He soon began to explore the incorporation of found images, text and objects into his photography. Continuing to grow as an artist, he investigated the possibilities of three dimensional installation as well. Initially Imboden made a conscious attempt to separate his career in psychology from his artistic endeavors, but became increasingly aware that his professional background is a crucial influence on his work. Many of his found materials directly recall the people and places where Imboden has worked as a mental health professional. Imboden now embraces the collision between his background in psychology and his art. His creation in the studio addresses what remains unresolved in a clinical setting.
