"The Only Knowledge Worth Possessing"

Personal narratives stand at the heart of this exhibit by artists in the Contemporary Austin's Crit Group program

Reviewed by Caitlin Greenwood, Fri., Aug. 28, 2015

Bobby Scheidemann, IMG_1128-Edit.tif_06_05_14 (2014)

The Contemporary Austin has been busy, and "busy" seems like a vast understatement. Much of its recent programming has been geared toward arts outreach, a venture that has been fostering growth for years but now seems to be hitting a new stride. For "The Only Knowledge Worth Possessing," the Contemporary joined with grayDUCK gallery and curators Andy Campbell (full disclosure: a Chronicle contributor) and Sarah Bancroft to highlight a wide swath of established local artists and encourage their professional growth through group critiques and arts education, culminating in a group show.

The exhibition title was generated via algorithms by showing artist Katie Rose Pipkin, as a word amalgamation that adheres to each artist's insight into their own work. Indeed, the exhibition offers distinct personal touches with each piece. From Pat Snow's blaring message on canvas ("I Roll Over Into the Dark and I Am Gone") to Glenn Twiggs' voyeuristic photographs of Belgian landscapes, personal narratives stand at the heart of "The Only Knowledge Worth Possessing." These autonomous individual stories are explored in print, photography, video with sculpture, and interactive, almost performative works – a variety of artistic mediums that should be jarring, but Campbell and Bancroft have designed the grayDUCK space expertly. It's apparent that the curators pushed their artists to explore their medium while also insisting on a congruent exhibition tone. In a city that sometimes skimps on curatorial influence in shows, "The Only Knowledge Worth Possessing" depicts how beneficial that editing eye can be.

While the exhibition represents local art, it simultaneously speaks to the partnerships that the Contemporary has actively forged within the established Austin arts community. The result is a showcase of intuitive, smart work with sophisticated presentation that raises the bar on how we can (and arguably should) support local art.