7/27/2019 Michael de Meng at Brumfield's Gallery

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Brumfield LLC Brumfields Gallery

1513 N. 13th Street, Boise, Idaho, 83702. Tel: 208 333-0309. Email: gallery@brumfieldllc.com. Web: www.brumfieldllc.com

Michael de MengBrumfields Gallery

October 12 - December 7

Te Brum elds rst discovered Michael de Mengs work several years ago while visitingthe city o New Orleans. Having been ans o de Mengs work ever since, they are pleasedto announce a show by the artist at Brum elds Gallery beginning in October. Primarily asculpture artist, de Mengs pieces elevate discarded and commonplace items into darkly beauti ul and sacred relics, invested with both humanity and con ict.

A long time assemblage artist, de Meng utilizes discarded items or his shrine-like worksand creatures, such as scrap metal, old appliances, or miscellaneous objects that wouldtypically be considered junk. Te idea behinds these works is trans ormation. He seeks toalter pieces that would normally be rejected into works o art and reverence. By borrowingimagery rom shrines and relics around the world, de Mengs work trans orms this junkinto pieces o beauty and meaning.

7/27/2019 Michael de Meng at Brumfield's Gallery

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Indeed, de Meng utilizes teaching to his advantage. Tough he admits balancing the twocareers can be difcult at times, the demands o each career keep one another in check.De Mengs career has also taken him along the path o writing. Now the author o twobooks, Secrets o Rusty Tings: rans orming Found Objects into Art and Dusty Dia-blos: Folklore, Iconography, Assemblage, Ole!. He sees writing, like teaching, as another

outlet or his thoughts and creativity.Michael de Mengs opening reception will be on Saturday, October 12 at Brum eldsGallery in Hyde Park. Te event will be open to the public and will run rom 7 9 p.m.with a no-host bar provided by 13th Street Pub and Grill. Te exhibition continuesthrough Sunday, December 7. Brum elds Gallery is open uesday through Saturday,10 a.m. 5 p.m.

De Meng describes his works as,a orm o rebirth rom the ashes intonew li e and new meaning. Teseassemblages are metaphors or theevolutions and revolutions o existencethe orms are examinations

o the world in perpetual fux, wheremeaning and unction are ever-changing.

While de Mengs initial purpose isto simply nd order in a world o chaos, the results are pieces thathave taken on a new li e, developed

rom their ormer selves.

While most artists tend towardsprivacy and secrecy whendiscussing their techniques, deMeng couldnt be more open abouthis artistic process. Te artist isnot only unguarded about discussinghow and with what he makes hisassemblages, he teaches workshopsshowing the very same processesthat he utilizes to create their ownworks o art rom scraps and junk-yard nds.