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Hours 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
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September 2008
Noir Art Emporium is proud to present "Funk," paintings by Thom Whalen. His paintings will be on display throughout the month of September with an opening reception 5-8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5. About his work, Mr. Whalen says: "I take a first-person approach to my work. Central Illinois is full of imagery that can evoke colored arrangements. In my paintings I create a visually convincing fictional world that is particular and personal as well as controversial and symbolic. Everything I select plays a part in a general narrative — a fictionalized autobiography — and carries a history of personal and metaphorical experiences Likewise, I must create my own story, rather than remove myself and pretend to be a neutral observer. I'm not just an observer; I'm a participant." "The audience is invited to participate in my work and my journey. The stories I tell often find me through connections I've encountered socially, politically, spiritually, and seen through the screen door. It's a social environment filled with raw ingredients, ripe for a story. I gather those ingredients, add my voice and craft a visual collage. I can't imagine image manipulation without this social interactivity. My process happens now, urgently and connectedly." Thom Whalen has an MFA from the University of Kansas and is currently a visual arts faculty member at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, Ill. He has exhibited throughout the U.S. including at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Noir is located at 208 E. State St. in Jacksonville, IL.
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