A concrete-and-wood egg pillow. Ceramic deconstructions of anthracite coal. A looping video of a Gen Xer’s hipster “power workout.”
Those are a few of the “unusual usuals” on display at Cabin Contemporary, an art gallery in North Manheim Township, in a new exhibition both too mystical and too ordinary to be put into words.
Cabin Contemporary — a small shed on a property owned by the local artist Lance Rautzhan — is set to open for its fifth season with a new collection, “Unusual Usuals,” that will run from Sunday, April 19, to June 7.
The gallery’s first all-locals collection, “Unusual Usuals” has an intriguing mix of media that transforms scenes from the region — the anthracite coal industry, family heirlooms, golden sunsets and maps of rural communities — into a stunning and inventive artistic language.
It features about 30 works from three area artists: Bill Whalen and Laurie Papa Minnick, both of Deer Lake; and Shaun McNally of Mount Carmel.
*
Laurie Papa Minnick’s “Concretion 5” combines concrete and material from a rusted can. (HYUN SOO LEE/STAFF PHOTO)
*
Shaun McNally’s music video “Aluminum City” is shown in Cabin Contemporary as part of its new exhibition “Unusual Usuals.” (HYUN SOO LEE/STAFF PHOTO)
*
Two of Laurie Papa Minnick’s concrete illustrations, depicting morning runs and walks, are hung up at Cabin Contemporary as part of “Unusual Usuals.” (HYUN SOO LEE/STAFF PHOTO)
*
Bill Whalen’s “Constructed Deconstructions” sit next to Shaun McNally’s “Laundromat Plan” at Cabin Contemporary. (HYUN SOO LEE/STAFF PHOTO)
*
Laurie Papa Minnick’s “Egg Pillow,” a sculpture made of concrete and wood, is featured in “Unusual Usuals” at Cabin Contemporary. (HYUN SOO LEE/STAFF PHOTO)
1 of 5
Laurie Papa Minnick’s “Concretion 5” combines concrete and material from a rusted can. (HYUN SOO LEE/STAFF PHOTO)
All of the pieces will be up for sale starting Sunday.
Rautzhan said the concept of “Unusual Usuals” was inspired by the notion of what art is — in his mind, an unanswerable question that can only be explored by considering “what art isn’t.”
“I wanted to bring together a collection of works that challenged the notions of art, especially to a demographic like Schuylkill County,” Rautzhan said.
While their creators are very much representative of this region, the works of art showcased in “Unusual Usuals” might seem unconventional for Schuylkill County — a move that Rautzhan acknowledges was by design.
Each artist in the collection inhabits a unique presence and personality.
McNally, according to Rautzhan, shows off an “outsider vibe” in his collection of mixed-media and digital paintings that combine surreal imagery with pop culture iconography. He also has a piece called “Aluminum City,” a 17-minute video capturing a fleet of RVs draped under a beautiful, glowing sunset, accompanied by original songs that McNally recorded in one of the trailers.
McNally’s “Gen X Power Workout” is a video of the artist performing a quirky dance routine while wearing a shirt emblazoned with the word “Video.”
Minnick, meanwhile, offers up a series of abstract illustrations that she made with concrete. Many of them depict maps of walks and runs that she took in and around her Deer Lake neighborhood.
She also has a handful of found-object sculptures, including “Concretion 5,” a fusion of a hand-me-down pillow with material from an old rusted can.
Whalen’s contribution to the collection is a series of ceramic vessels called “Constructed Deconstruction,” which he says explores the textures, forms and structural language found in the remnants of the anthracite coal industry. Resembling slabs of hard coal, the gritty, misshapen sculptures recall the old look of his native Cumbola.
“What I’m doing here is trying to press what society thinks art is,” Rautzhan said, “what the locals think art is and what it can be. So these three artists sort of epitomize that for me.”
Rautzhan said this is the first collection at Cabin Contemporary primarily made of works created by local residents. He tried to strike a delicate balance, curating a selection of art that might seem familiar to Schuylkill County, yet foreign at the same time.
“I think I achieved that, and I’m pretty excited about the results,” he said.
All three artists featured in “Unusual Usuals” will be on hand for an opening reception scheduled from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Cabin Contemporary, at 357 Manheim Road, is open by appointment only. Since 2022, it has hosted more than a dozen collections featuring artists from around the world.
To contact the gallery, email cabincontemporary@gmail.com.
