STRING THEORIES
Creating sculpture out of wood, fibers, and other natural materials, Knapp's work is often characterized by his mastery of technically complex modern processes blended with traditional folk crafting. Having been raised in the city, on a farm, and deep in the middle of suburbia, Knapp credits his ideologically disparate Midwestern upbringing for the majority of his artistic motifs, especially those moments where American sentiments and perceptions unexpectedly converge or create a social division. In past years, his work predominately dealt with motifs that explored the legitimacy of beliefs used to quell the anxiety and paranoia in American culture, while simultaneously confronting the reality of what Americans value. In his newest work, “String Theories,” Knapp continues to explore the psychology of Americana, but he twists the focus around from America-at-large to his own life and that of his peers, examining the life of the working artist, and their value in 21st century America. “String Theories” literally unravels the substrates that comprise the life of the modern artist (e.g. money, materials, the studio practice, and even essays by Clement Greenberg), and reprocesses them into strands of hand-spun string to create a functional way of visualizing and questioning both the psychological and physical value of the things that impact the artist’s life.
Still Life - Irises hand-spun into ~750' of string
Golem - Essays by Clement Greenberg hand-spun into 167' of string
Wringer - Studio-worn work pants hand-spun into 957' of string
Wringer
Wringer
Skin Game - Three softballs hand-spun into string
Kite String - One year of the artist's Merrill Lynch retirement documents hand-spun into string
The Best Way To Stretch A Dollar - U.S. currency hand-spun into string