Key Loop at NON STNDRD

NON STNDRD is pleased to present “Key Loop”, a group exhibition that explores iterations of visual and conceptual pattern. “Key Loop” will open with a free and public reception from 4:00 – 7:00 pm on Saturday, June 22. This exhibition will run through August 17, 2024. NON STNDRD is located on the campus of the National Building Arts Center in Sauget, Illinois.

The title “Key Loop” is inspired by the Greek key—a motif prevalent in Ancient Greece that epitomizes the interlocking, recursive patterns found in life and art. Combined with the concept of “loop,” which denotes endless repetition and continuity, “Key Loop” reflects the cyclical nature of patterns, considering both the persistence and the inevitable transformation of forms and ideas across time. This thematic exploration considers the enduring relevance and evolution of patterns in both historical and contemporary contexts. 

Exhibiting artists include Poppy DeltaDawn, Katie Ford, kg, Rashawn Griffin, Craig Hartenberger, Anna Horvath, Nick Larsen, Michael Jones McKean, Guen Montgomery, Emily Mueller, Garry Noland, and Anna Schenker. “Key Loop” is curated by STNDRD + NON STNDRD Co-Directors Bruce Burton, Sage Dawson, and Allison Lacher.

NON STNDRD is uniquely situated in two adjacent industrial concrete spaces on the National Building Arts Center campus — previously the Sterling Steel Casting Company. These spaces, once steel casting sand bunkers, now serve as experimental venues for contemporary art exhibitions. The stark industrial setting, with its exposed roof, provides a critical backdrop for the thematic concerns of the exhibition.

Here, the artworks, vulnerable to weathering, embrace the temporal dynamics of patterns—how they evolve, decay, and mirror the transience of experience alongside cycles of nature and history. This interplay emphasizes the pervasive influence of patterns—be it personal habits, cyclical cultural shifts, or imprints left by historical events. The works on display engage in a visceral dialogue with the raw architecture of NON STNDRD and the immediate landscape and decorative collection at the National Building Arts Center, enriched by the history and prior function of the facility, as well as the local geography and terrain.

NON STNDRD is an expansion and evolution of site-based inquiry first established by STNDRD, a flagship program in Granite City, Illinois, where exhibitions rely on a flagpole as a site and examine the power and potential of flags. NON STNDRD and STNDRD are artist-run initiatives. 

The Neutral

Approx 60 x 40 inches

Colored Pencil on Handmade Paper

2023