By Shannon Hoyt —
Home is where you make it, and sometimes, home can be made in a simple piece of art.
Home Reports, a show by Michael Borowski, an artist and professor for the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, is Volume One’s first show of 2016.
“I work in a lot of different media,” said Borowski. “Photography tends to be part of most of my projects, but I also do a lot of sculptural work, some performance, and it’s all kind of around the idea of place. And particularly, how people feel connection to a place, or a sense of belonging.”
Borowski began his work with Home Reports after stumbling across a document he could not ignore. As a result, his work, inspired and created from data reports published by Ikea, embodies an ideal perspective of home in advertising.
“I generally like to show something that people don’t expect,” said Borowski. “So, if I can make a photograph, or make an image, that suggests not the typical way that we see the world, but a slightly different way than what we are used to, I always feel like that’s a success.”
MICHAEL BOROWSKI/CONTRIBUTED
His conceptual approach portrays a sense of community while also incorporating a humorous and somber impression. “I am always interested in just having people connect on an emotional level,” he said.
“We saw him online, and a lot of us here graduated from Eau Claire,” said Janae Breunig, graphic designer for Volume One. “So, we kind of keep an eye on Eau Claire and Stout faculties. He is a new faculty member, so none of us had actually had him as a professor, but we thought his work was an interesting take.”
As a graphic designer, one of Breunig’s responsibilities deals with booking events and shows. Knowing that Volume One had not hosted many photography shows in the past, she recognized Borowski as a perfect fit for the New Year.
MICHAEL BOROWSKI/CONTRIBUTED
“It is a little more intimate,” said Breunig, describing Borowski’s digital collages. “It almost looks like you are peeking in from the outside.”
Home Reports is currently showing at the Volume One Gallery in Eau Claire. The show will continue through Feb. 27.