Daun’s installation work does not tie itself to any specific media but as Joe states, “to the process that is appropriate to the ideas to which he wishes to create dialogue.” Conflict, confusion, communication, preservation, and even humor are all underpinnings of Daun’s current body of work. All of these ideas are encompassed in Daun’s desire to explore the root of his beliefs and how he evolved into the person he is today.
Daun is most recognized for his sculptural constructions that aim to connect the viewer to the subject matter. Featured in the exhibition will be Joe Daun’s “Diner Piece,” a 40-foot-long diner counter with bookshelves. Included in the piece is a set of booths in which the viewer is invited to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee. The coffee cup is then placed on a conveyer belt behind the counter and carried to its destruction. “This piece is about the exchange of ideas, the dining ritual and communication. We as a society, have lost the rituals that enrich our lives. This work is an attempt to remind viewers of the enjoyment of sitting down and conversing versus sitting in front of the television, drinking soda, and not talking.”
Tainted Terrain brought together the work of highly noted Oklahoma mixed media artist Sunni Mercer and emerging photographer/artist Candice Black. Simultaneous with Daun’s efforts to question the familiar, Tainted Terrain, presented the issue of environmental conservancy. Black’s photographs dealt specifically with the abundance of litter in our daily surroundings. Sunni Mercer created an original piece of furniture collaged with Black’s images and other materials to create a symbolic statement on the condition and future of our environment/landscape.
