“No Danger” highlights paper planes

“No Danger,” a new exhibition at the School of Fine Arts Gallery, challenges negative attitudes toward flight through creative interpretations on a classic childhood toy: the paper airplane.

The exhibit will be open today through Jan. 24, with an opening reception Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. Both the show and opening reception are free and open to the public.
The exhibit features works by more than 60 artists from the United States, Canada, France, Italy and Slovenia. Each artist creates a three-dimensional paper plane to highlight the benefits of travel and culture.

Ed Bernstein, professor of art and co-head of printmaking in the School of Fine Arts, collaborated with Italian artist Franco Vecchiet, who originally came up with the concept of “No Danger.”

Bernstein met Vecchiet while directing an IU summer printmaking program in Venice.
Vecchiet originally asked European artists to construct paper airplanes for a show set to open in a newly renovated airport in Graz, Austria in 2010.

After learning about Vecchiet’s idea, Bernstein expanded on the project to comment on today’s perspective on air travel.

“I was thinking about flying and what a pain it was,” Bernstein said. He added that he thought about the benefits of flight and came up with the concept of “No Danger.”

Bernstein said he allowed the artists to design their planes with few restrictions. The planes had to be able to suspend from the ceiling and bear a fun, light tone.

The show includes different approaches to the paper airplane, such as colorful pigs and rocks made from paper and other lightweight materials.

“Children love this exhibit,” Bernstein said. “It’s unique. It’s taking printmaking to another dimension.”

Part of the appeal of “No Danger” is how the artwork dangles from the ceiling from wire structures instead of hanging on the gallery walls.

Bernstein said cherry pickers were used to mount the artwork and that the exhibit is often difficult to install.

SoFA Gallery Director Betsy Stirrit said constructing “No Danger” took about two days.

“It forces people to look up,” said Megan Abajian, public relations director of the SoFA Gallery. “It’s an interesting way to view artwork.”

The Richmond International Airport displayed the exhibit for the first time to coincide with the 22nd Southern Graphics Council Printmaking Conference held in Richmond, Va., last March.

Bernstein said commuters coming and going through the airport found the planes amusing and entertaining. The airport received such a positive response that many airport employees said they felt sad to see the show depart last May.

Bernstein said the project inspired him to become more involved with 3-dimensional prints.

“It was a small idea that I wound up making bigger,” he said.

Stirrit said she believes “No Danger” will leave viewers with a strong impression of flight and art.

“It should be pretty dense,” she said. “I think it will be striking and intense.”