After a four-month sabbatical for research, the Oswego State gallery presents Benjamin Entner’s exhibition titled “Mortals and Gods.”
The series is held in the gallery in Tyler Hall and is advertised as objects of childhood memory and experience that “translates the artifacts of childhood memory and experience into fragmentary ruins of Greco-Roman sculpture,” according to the event page.
The series portrays several toy heads that have been reimagined into monumental sculptures and presented as if they have been made lifesize. Upon first glance, the exhibit is a reminder of the works during the Greco-Roman period, as it is all white and leaves its viewer space to find its meaning for themselves.
Alicia Blagrove, a student at Oswego State, said it was not like anything she had ever seen.
“The structures were very beautiful,” Blagrove said. “I think that it was interesting,”
She said she was intrigued by how some pieces of the artwork were separated body parts and felt that the artworks depicted showed that “the gods were always with us.”
The series aims to draw its viewers into a time and place in their lives that they never thought of as significant.
Entner, the creator of Mortals and Gods, said this was a project that he had been thinking of doing for about three years. However, the time just did not present itself as he was busy. That was one of the hardest parts of the process for Entner.
“I have taken old action figures and I’ve scaled them up and transformed them classical sculptures,” Entner said. “A lot of classical sculptures are idealized portraits of gods and heroic persons and mythological characters.”
According to Mike Flanagan, the Tyler Art Gallery director, the process of booking the gallery for Entner’s pieces was rather simple. Although, booking a one person gallery means that there had to be enough pieces to fill up the gallery.
“It’s just a matter of physically filling the space,” Flanagan said. The largest gallery held contained about 150 pieces of artwork but were comprised of different student artworks shown together.
Entner said he hopes that people who view his gallery can connect to the inner-child that they harbor within them and are able to recall their memories.
Entner remembers his time as a child through these images and is witnessing his own family and loved ones go through those child-like experiences. He said he finds value in these seemingly insignificant experiences.
On Friday March 6, Entner will be giving a short talk at the gallery from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on his latest creation.
“It celebrates playfulness and a return to childhood,” Entner said.
Photo by Euroka Sejour | The Oswegonian
