Overview
Barry Badgett's artwork has been included in numerous jured, curated, and invitational exhibitions throughout the U.S. He has been awarded a Mid-America Arts Alliance/National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and two Wichita State research grants. Barry earned his Master of Fine Arts from Syracuse University and his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Artist Statement:
Uncovering relationships that are not initially detected is one of the goals of my
work. I create objects referring to different or unrelated events, objects, and technologies,
and cause them to exist on the same level as if they were inseparable. My work takes
ideas that exist within different contexts and/or very distant, but parallel lines
of chronology, and crosses in ways that wouldn't normally occur.
In the recent history of my work, I have been examining ways our lives may be changed or interrupted and numerous influences, both public and private, that affect our impressions. I comment on peculiar problems that arise and surprising adjustments that are made in our everyday existence. These may affect our views on things as simple as the condition of the fence in the backyard or as complex as a political outlook.
The wide variety of materials and techniques and their manipulation are very much a part of my art-making experience. Much of their application is meant to change their normal context and add to the shift in perception in viewing the sculpture and its content. Decision-making throughout the process is critical for the evolution of the artwork. Although I initially described what I do in terms of the reference or starting point of a piece, the visual experience is foremost in developing a peculiar and puzzling resolution. The visual relationships set the stage for the content which unites the experience.