Nick Clifford Simko
July 6 – August 1, 2015 Nick Clifford Simko’s work considers the parallels between the construction and destruction of visual culture. “Fragmentia” examines the values of the past through the form of fragmentary pieces in the present. Adapting the material and metaphorical language of allegorical tapestry, these torn and tattered compositions isolate specific moments from the larger scene. For Simko the process of collecting, collaging, tearing, and destroying historicized images is a way to reveal the impermanence of art and explore the flexibility of its meaning. Simko utilizes methods of accumulation and elimination to realize these tapestry works. The first step involves collecting subject matter with a digital camera, such as figures, animals, and landscapes. Using photographic imaging software, the artist carefully collages the individual elements together into a cohesive composition. Next the designs are woven into textiles on a computerized loom. The weavings are then cut and distressed. The final installation juxtaposes the remaining fragments in relation to the missing pieces. Nick Clifford Simko is an interdisciplinary artist who utilizes digital photography and computerized loom technology in his practice. His work has been exhibited at museums and galleries in Baltimore, Richmond, and Washington DC. In 2013-2014 he was a member of EMP Collective, an interdisciplinary arts organization in downtown Baltimore. He holds his BFA in Art History, Theory, and Criticism from the Maryland Institute College of Art. In fall of 2015 Simko will begin his MFA in Photography at the University of New Mexico.
