Jane Tardo, M.F.A Thesis Exhibition

Jane Tardo invents complex objects and display systems that weave contemporary commentary and consumer indulgences into sculptural cultures. Using a combination of art, design, and craft, the sculptural work reflects personal and political narratives through a series of fabricated products. Each product offers an enticingly tactile interactive experience that is equal parts delightful, confusing, and concerning. The products are also accompanied by their own investment opportunities in the form of popular merchandized objects such as hats, patches, and keychains. Using humor and subtlety, these details combine into game-like installations that explore complex arenas such as autonomy, intimacy, and dueling realities in a time of ecological collapse. These themes derive from the artist’s own frustrations about the past, doubts on the present, and concerns for the future; however, they are also rooted strongly in her belief of a better world. This hope is evident in the meticulous craftmanship and execution of her work. Jane Tardo’s title piece, Snake Tube Adventure Racing (the world’s first quilted RC racetrack), invites audiences to select and pilot a tubed snake through 24 feet of quilted landscapes while using their personal phones to record a virtual experience of the race.