The San Jacinto College South Campus art gallery is hosting an opening reception Feb. 28 to kick off a solo exhibition titled Super Tuning featuring the work of artist Trey Duvall. Duvall will attend the reception to give an artists talk.

Gallery Curator Bradly Brown said all the details are not yet available, but visitors can expect to see conceptual art centered on a theme of paradox that includes interactive pieces and drawings, in addition to work made from “untraditional art-making material.”  

“You need to think of the show as a puzzle that you are trying to solve,” he said, “however, there is no single answer to it.”

Moreover, Brown noted, the artist highlights the central concept of paradox by “creating randomness through art.” Brown explained the idea through a key piece from the show that features two clear fish tanks filled with water and sentiment. 

“Although all the tanks are identical and are filled with the same amounts of water, they will settle and clear at different rates,” he said. “Although they are the same, they are still different; still unique.”

In addition to dirty water and fish tanks, the artist uses black curtain, pendulums, light bulbs, and a motor among other materials to create a fluid experience that according to the show statement are “seemingly logical arguments that produce contradictory or absurd results.”

Based in Denver, Duvall is relying on Brown for help in assembling the seemingly unrelated materials into the final presentation.

“Think about the decisions that we put (forth) to create the show,” Duvall said. “See the objects as language.”

Meanwhile, Brown said the artwork presented in Super Tuning will change over time offering a different experience for visitors attending during the latter part of the show’s run.

“The sediment in the tanks will settle, the tape on the ground will peel as people walk on it, the pendulums will draw more circles the more they are spun,” he added. “Each time you enter the exhibition space the show will be slightly different.”

Likewise, Brown said he looks forward to opening the dynamic exhibition and continuing his department’s effort to expand the spectrum of what students consider “art.”

“By presenting work from an artist like Trey, we can help redefine some assumptions,” he said. “Sometimes works of art are an experience or a fleeting moment.”

Super Tuning will run Feb. 25 until April 12. The opening reception takes place Feb. 28 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the art gallery, Room 143 in Flickinger Fine Arts Center (S15) on the South Campus. The artists talk begins at 3 p.m. There is no charge for admission to the reception or the gallery.

Jailene Sanchez contributed to this report.