Saylor’s Allegory, Secundum Artem
The Trowbridge School
Vine Charcoal and Conte Crayon
31 in x 37 in
The title of Tyler Meuninck’s show, Saylor’s Allegory, Secundum Artem operates on multiple levels. It ties together nautical imagery and Meuninck’s childhood experiences. Meuninck explains the Latin phrase secundum artem as meaning “According to the art.” This references the art of sailing as well as the journey of making art. Meuninck sees the reference to a sailor as an invented character: “It could be you, it could be me, it could be anyone. It is a character that has had an odyssey of sorts.” Titled Saylor rather than sailor, the name is a reference to a chain of pizza restaurants that were a staple in Meuninck’s hometown in South Bend.
Meuninck draws inspiration from his daily landscape, Lake Michigan. “I was thinking about how disappointing it can be to walk around on a gray day in the Midwest. It's a big muddy puddle sometimes.” Meuninck reflects on the time he spends at the lake. “It’s a way to get away from daily life, to walk up and down the beach.” He sees time spent at the water as playful, reminding him of why people are drawn to water as a vacation destination.
Alewives
Vine Charcoal and Conte Crayon
17 in x 20 in
Meuninck grew up between Laporte and South Bend, Indiana, and had close access to Lake Michigan. His childhood was full of adventures on various bodies of water and were formative moments that have influenced his life and work today.
Meuninck reminisces on a trip to Lake Superior where he spent time on the water with his father: “At times on the lake we were pretty far from shore. We were further out than anyone would advise to go on Lake Superior.” Meuninck describes the vastness of the landscape: “You could see all the way to the bottom of the lake. I think that always had an effect on me. The water was frigid but looked completely serene. The water was very clear and you wished you could go and explore it without any underwater gear, just as free as you might be above water.”
Meuninck has settled in Milwaukee to be closer to the lake. He says, “There's some familiarity in it and with it. I couldn't have it out of reach for too long.”
When Meuninck looks out at the water, he lets his imagination run wild. The landscape becomes a place of fantasy. He allows the mossy rocks, plankton, and dead alewives that float to the surface to become something more: “I try to convince myself that there is always the possibility that there may be squids, whales, ships, airplanes, crabs, and hollow vessels convening with one another in a sort of fictitious, chaotic mess of activity that makes the lake very exciting to observe.” The essence of Meuninck’s work is the unknown, using charcoal to explore what lurks beneath the surface: “When anyone visits the lake, there is this division of the known world and an expanse of the unknown that is under water.”
The Spring Tides
Vine Charcoal and Conte Crayon
31 in x 37 in
Meuninck is a painter who resides in Milwaukee, WI, and earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Herron School of Art and Design and then pursued a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While most of Meuninck’s current work explores the landscape of Lake Michigan, during his years as an emerging artist, Meuninck was involved in the Harrison Center and Indianapolis community. “The Harrison Center was integral to my emerging artist career,” says Meuninck, “It is a place that is really supportive of artists. That is their mission at the core– to make sure artists have a trajectory in their careers.”
The show can be viewed in the Gallery Annex anytime during the month of October during Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. The works can additionally be viewed on our online gallery through November.