In “New Weathering Lands” Shawn Reed transforms Little Cakes with implied religion, allegory, and symbolism. It would seem as if one had happened upon a small room of Medieval paintings were it not for his chosen style of depicting his subject matter. His woodblock prints and embroideries resemble the simple lines and bold colors in comic book and children’s book illustrations rather than the delicate attention to detail found in Illuminated Manuscripts, but still retain the mysticism and mythology. They are post apocalyptic fantasies dependent on imaginary, fabled beings.

Shawn intentionally uses somewhat generic and anonymous characters and symbols in an attempt to embody a whole potential with an ambiguous narrative. In his six images displayed, figures are missing heads, have heads but no facial features, have their faces obscured, or simply exist as spirits. The embroidered and painted insignia surrounding the prints suggest influences ranging from Islamic to Japanese to Native American to Tibetan or even to emblems found on Girl Scout badges. He does this with interest in appropriation, effects of globalization, and the dissemination and adoption of information and cultural practices. Growing up in rural Iowa, Shawn experienced most information second hand and therefore is interested in how mediation and indirect contact alters and changes information. His more obvious influences are religion, geography, and folklore.

Shawn Reed is currently pursuing his MFA at the University of Iowa. He is a multidisciplinary artist who works not only in 2-D media but also in video, sculpture, and music. He has collaborated with cult hero / artist David Dunlap and has shown in New York, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Tokyo. His band Raccoo-oo-oon has toured the United States and Europe and he has personally made Iowa City a key destination for touring punk and noise musicians. Reed also runs a small music label called Night People which specializes in limited edition cassette tapes.

In addition to his artwork in the gallery, handmade books of drawings and shirts will be for sale. His one of a kind, bleached and silk-screened shirts can be seen in rainbow colors on the bodies of underground music fans across the world.