Source Material 2 by Jason Lanka

The art of Eric Lee and Jason Lanka could comfortably meet somewhere in the middle, like a Venn diagram. Both artists are currently featured at LE Phillips Public Library (until Feb. 16) and create works in which elements of the organic and the industrial weave together to explore and reflect the relationship between human beings and their environments. Lee’s work seems more regionally specific and personal, deeply influenced by his time spent in Superior, WI. His process is often experimental, involving materials such as ash, stain, and ignited gunpowder. Lanka casts his eye more broadly to reflect on the more universal relationship of people with the land and the implications of those perceptions. His pieces are often composed of organic materials that have been shaped and constructed with an almost factory-like precision. This show provides engaging conceptual themes while grounding the viewer in something very intimate and familiar.