We’ve featured many artists on this newscast but Angela Gegg
is in a zone of her own. She’s a writer, a poet, a painter, a thinker
– and more than all that, she’s one outspoken lady. She isn’t
afraid to speak her mind, write exactly what she thinks or let her art challenge
notions of what’s acceptable in the public discourse. In a word, she’s
bold, and…after years of consistent and quite prolific production, she’s
proven that she’s committed.
She launched her new art show, “Impulse” to coincide with
her birthday today. The staging ground for this major exhibit is the Institute
of Mexico – which really is the only art space big enough to fit her paintings,
poetry and installations.
Angela Gegg, Artist
“When people come into the exhibit it is going to kind of them a sense
of not just pictures on a wall. You want to walk in and just be part of something.
When you’re walking into the exhibit there is little things, I am not
going to point them out, but I want people to play with their minds a little
bit. So they are going to be walking through all the galleries, once the galleries 
are opened, watching videos, looking at crazy abstract art, looking at photography,
looking cubist art, looking at all kinds of stuff and it is a bit provocative.
So they say, so you people say in Belize. I personally don’t think so
but they say it is provocative what I do so it is.”
But it is provocation says the artist – not just for the sake of it –
the provocation is to engage the viewer.
Angela Gegg,
“Yes and I want them to think outside the box. It is not just coming
in and looking at work. I want them to be part of the artwork themselves.”
And if you want to be a part of this show, you have to be prepared to be confronted
with imagery that you won’t see any other artist daring to try.
Angela Gegg,
“A lot of people might not like me for it, some people love me for
it. I take hits either way. Some people really appreciate what I do, some people
are appalled by what I do. But personally I feel that it is the freedom to express
myself, why should I not have it.
From the book, wash, mash, trophy wife, you know. And what a lot of people
don’t understand is these things stem from what people may say to me or
things in my life. I am trying to insult nobody, that is part of my book –
it is a part of the whole installation. Like you said, you thought it was a
rich girl stage. A lot of man look at me and think trophy wife and I see the
opposite because I work damn hard.”
That work shows in the varied presentation, spread out over three rooms –
exploring a broad range of painting styles.
Angela Gegg,
“This has been like a whole week of putting the show together. You
don’t just hang stuff on walls. What we do is very very, it is a lot of
work, you have to think where you want to put things. The placement of everything
is specific. Nothing is done without order. Everything has a place, everything
has a purpose. Nothing is done with a system and a format at all.”
The diligence demonstrated by an artist who’s been painting and writing
for most of her life and she says she is far from done.
Angela Gegg,
“I love what I do, I love painting, I love writing, I love anything
creative. I love building, I love anything; designing. I love art, art to me
is just the best thing in the world.
There is so much to do. So much more to say. So much more to see. So much
more to show.”
Angela Gegg also launched a book today and that stirs a controversial brew all its own. We'll tell you about that on Monday.
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