“Scattered Art,” by Phillip Godenschwager, opens April 29 at the Korongo Gallery in Randolph
New and recent work by draughtsman, painter, and glass artist Phillip Godenschwager is on view from April 29 through June 5 at the Korongo Gallery in downtown Randolph. “Scattered Art” is a glimpse into the kaleidoscopic world of a multifaceted artist with a stunning reach. Over the past three decades, Godenschwager has designed rock-and-roll posters, pellet stoves, and chapel windows. His wacky genius has lent itself to amusement parks in Japan and Pennsylvania, an animatronics studio in Italy, a Times Square mural, a Chrysler auto show, and FAO Schwarz’s famous animated clock tower. Scattered Art primarily features his 2D work, an array of original cartoons, prints, and stained glass that crackles with energy and wit.
Godenschwager traces his artistic roots to a nomadic upbringing. Raised in a military family, he moved more than a dozen times before graduating from high school: “I had the unique experience of learning to paint from a kindly Japanese teacher in the Philippines at the age of eight and to draw from life on the steps of the Acropolis while in high school in Athens. Drawing was the one constant that traveled with me.” As a youngster continually in transition, ever the outsider looking in,
Godenschwager became “the consummate observer. My job as an artist is to see and respond and hopefully to open the doors to communication.” Tackling complex social issues through playful imagery is a trademark of Godenschwager’s style. Among the 2D works on display at Korongo are Till the Cows Come Home (ink and dye, 16 x 20 in.), a swirling depiction of institutionalized greed as a feeding frenzy at the public trough, and the original sketch for The Disneyfication of Vermont, a sculpted map of the state as a giant amusement park overrun with shooting galleries, roller-coaster highways, and tractor-go-rounds. 3D works include Fragile Globe, a colorful orb of slumped glass and wire, its base a flea-market find.
The exhibit includes both originals and prints, as well as Jack Rowell’s photographs of Godenschwager’s work. From April 29 to June 5. Opening reception April 29 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Images: Phil Godenschwager, Be Careful What You Wish For, vaccuformed Kydex over urethane foam
( 24" x 32" x 2").
Below: Glass artist Phil Godenschwager installs a commemorative window commissioned by Randolph’s Chandler Music Hall in
celebration of the building’s 100th anniversary.Phil Godenschwager, Rainbow, painted and leaded glass (22" x 16").
Credit (all photos): Photo by Jack Rowell
