Room 108
By Saydee Bocanegra
In a newly “up and coming” area within Greenville, one that we popularly associate with the “arts district” on Dickenson is the slightly farther away art gallery Room 108. Turning right onto Paris Avenue from Dickenson is parking on the immediate left corner house for Room 108, with the building itself being the second house on the right. Owned by a Chris Nunnally, Room 108 is featuring artist Delaney O’Connell all of July 2019, from 5 to 9 PM on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays as well as being open on Saturdays from 1 to 7 PM. In August the hours are by appointment only and the showing ends August 2nd.
The Show is called, Positive Feedback Loop; incorporating a few different mediums the art features a feministic perspective and an interpretation of women in art history. During the First Friday Art-walk on July 5th was the opening showing; the friendly environment of the artwork was accompanied with the originals and covers by two of the three-person band the Suzie Floozies. With McKenzie Shelton singing while also on guitar and Samantha Flores on cello, the small space was flooded by positive conversation and the hum of music.
O’Connell expressed this about her work, “My work [Positive Feedback Loop] examines gendered interactions in American culture today by considering the role of women in art history. Largely informed by the writings of John Berger, I am interested in the ways in which women internalize the male gaze. Berger writes, “Men act, and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at.”
The title of the show, Positive Feedback Loop, references a system in which the input is reinforced by the output, continuously destabilizing the system. I’ve come to see our culture’s view of gender in this way. Women are objectified, we learn that our value is inextricable from our appearance, we over-invest in our appearance and thus reinforce the notion that appearance is the most valuable aspect of our being. If we are to end the destabilization of this system, we need to reassess the expectations that we’ve linked to gender and relearn what gender is in itself- a spectrum rather than a binary.”
When debating stopping by to peruse the artwork and perspective of artist Delaney O’Connell during the blistering summer afternoons, the answer should be an emphatical and resounding yes. The stop will not only avail one to a new gallery, but a thought provoking and striking perspective of a breaking out artist in her early twenties. Prints of some of the artwork are for sale and wait for you to bring them home as well as most of the art. To further follow the artist on social media for future showing and work you can follow her on Instagram at @delaney_oconnell. On Facebook you can follow art gallery Room 108 at @Room108Art; and the address is 108 Paris Ave. Greenville, NC 27834. You can also keep up with the normally three-person band the Suzie Floozies on Instagram as well as the individual upcoming events of McKenzie Shelton at @mckenzieshelton.
