News > John Duckworth Awake: Salon

“Expectation is the mother of disappointment,” says John Duckworth resolutely to a captivated group within the cozy walls of The Press at the Vendue. An appropriate quotable moment from the man who is seamlessly redefining the term “art exhibit” with his newest multidisciplinary body of work entitled Awake.

Needless to say, we were not disappointed.

“One as All” by John Duckworth

Tuesday’s exhibition tour + salon-style discussion hosted by The Vendue and Art Mag was nothing short of therapeutic. Duckworth has completely transformed the City Gallery at Water Front Park into a sensory experience open to anyone who is willing to commit to curious anticipation.

Eight wildly distinctive, yet perfectly centered, rooms reflect the efforts of Duckworth’s own curiosity in an expansive collection of artistic talent from cross-cultural screen printing and sketches to Buddah paintings, video installations, and of course, Duckworth’s iconic landscapes. In short, it seems no medium has been left unexplored. Even the headphones each guest receives upon entry have been carefully programmed to feature a custom audio soundtrack including original works by Duncan Sheik, Quentin Baxter, and Lee Barbour.

And just when you thought the evening couldn’t be any more compelling, participants were invited to join Duckworth for a salon-style conversation after the show. The dialogue covered everything from Duckworth’s personal influences to the safety cards in the back airplane seats (you may have had to be there) leaving everyone with a small glimpse at Duckworth’s creative process, a whisper of Buddhism, and a deep breath of perspective.

If you missed this week’s opportunity to experience #awakejduckworth, Duckworth will be performing daily through December 21 with regular time slots at the City Gallery at Water Front Park. Make plans to experience this one-of-a-kind installation and dare to embrace this inspired question, “what awakens you?”

words: Lauren Park