This being my first experience at Hygienic Art, I was somewhat surprised to see so many Conn students in downtown New London. I have always been somewhat of a hypocrite passing along the knowledge of fun and interesting things to do in New London to younger students or my disillusioned peers.
However, Conn students did indeed travel out in droves to attend the fantastic art/music/performance event, especially when it means supporting some of their own.
Opening last weekend at The Muse Skateshop/Gallery was “Floaters,” a multimedia exhibit created by Conn alumni that incorporates “photography, digital illustration, audio engineering and sculpture.” There was a lot of excitement among mingling students about the artistic potential of our graduates.
Adam Campos ’08, AJ Zane ’09 and Catherine “Cato” Johnson ’10 decided to combine their various talents into the art collective “Nasty Outfit”.
Campos runs his own photography studio and is still a regular around campus, attending and photographing many of the college’s events, such as CCASA’s Fusion last semester.
Zane, a recent graduate of the Ammerman Center for Arts and Technology (CAT) during his time here, has been working as a freelance graphic designer. He has brought his designs to the London community by designing book covers and posters for organizations such as New London Local First and the Hygienic Art Gallery.
These alumni are joined by Johnson, a current Music & Technology major and CAT student, who has numerous professional audio projects and has been busy recording her own music and that of local artists.
According to Campos, Nasty Outfit “evolved into an artistic collective” after a trip to New York Ccity this fall. The idea of a collaborative gallery show emerged as the numbers began to realize their creative potential.
Inspired by an experimental photograph series by artist William Hundley called “Jumping Sheets,” Campos utilized Zane and Johnson as subjects to create a large portfolio of shots he would later call “floaters.”
Floaters, he explained, are images created by the combination of the careful arrangement of a subject under an elaborate sheet that falls, dances, leaps or jumps through the air and is captured by split-second photography.
The images of floaters vary in a number of visually dazzling colors and locations, but more impressive is the emotion and flow of movement conveyed by these billowing objects that have taken tireless precision by the photographer.
At the show, Campos’s photographs and meticulous 3D art creations lined the walls of the main room while Zane’s work, mixed-media creations using images, text and various graphic designs, hung in a side room. Johnson’s various recordings helped add atmosphere to the gallery show.
That night all three were kept quite busy. The second I arrived, Johnson gave me a quick hug before bursting out the door to make more copies of her demo CDs, on display on the back table.
Campos was constantly moving around the room, talking to curious fresh-faced strangers or being pulled into conversations by both Conn and New London friends. Zane spent most of his time in that side room, eagerly pouring drinks and talking about the absurdist or technological themes of his creations to anyone who would listen.
Zane stressed to me that he wishes he had done something like this as a student and encourages others to considering looking off-campus for their projects. He and Campos both agreed that the stores and venues of New London are very supportive of new artists willing to get their feet a little wet.
Go see the Floaters Installation at The Muse (102 Golden Street, New London, CT). January 30th to February 13th.
For more information, check out www.nastyoutfit.com.
