Shattered

Image 1: Shattered, Justine Kaszynski

On October 4th, Illinois State University's gallery Transpace debuted an exhibit containing works of current MFA students. Among the works displayed was Justine Kaszynski's piece, Shattered. Kaszynski's piece is created from an archival inkjet print, framed with the shattered glass protruding from the surface of the frame. Stepping into the gallery filled with dozens of works, this piece in particular drew me in. Shattered conveys a stark emotion. Kaszynski was successful in generating a reaction from me, as a viewer. The piece had an immediate, instinctual reaction, which was to check the ground for shards of glass, careful not to step on anything. Because of this, I feel confident in saying the piece successfully interacts with the viewer, in a very organic way. 

Image 2: Side View

The subject of the inkjet photo is a close cropped photo of glass shards. A tight shot of the piece in image 3 highlights the quality of the work, being unable to differentiate the 2D glass in the photo from the 3D glass actually protruding from the surface. This quality is what makes Kaszynski's work unique and successful.

Image 3: Close Up of Glass Shatters

The composition of the photo highlights the use of rule of thirds, with the two main shards of glass intersecting at a point that would fall on a 3x3 grid. In addition to the pleasing composition, Shattered uses the complementary colors blue/green and red/orange to create an aesthetically balanced work. 

To summarize, Kaszynski's work breaks the boundaries of working with a typically 2D medium. Her piece successfully draws in the viewer, and creates a sense of balance amongst a seemingly uncontrolled situation.