Dean Ebben's 'In The House of the Mineral Spirits' at the Susan Hensel Gallery

Breaking the Devils Dishes, 2008; Dean Ebben

​On his webpage artist Dean Ebben quotes 1957 Nobel Prize winner for literature Albert Camus, who said "We have art in order not to die of life." Ebben states that this is his reason for making art. Ebben is a native of St. Louis and current resident of New York City, but he grew up here in Minnesota. This month he is returning for the opening of his latest art exhibition titled "In the House of the Mineral Spirits," which also marks the first exhibition in the final season of the Susan Hensel Gallery.

Ebben's shadowy figures are evocative of the show's title, nudging viewers to think of the ethereal. Even his fragile, handmade flax paper presents a certain ghostliness; the dried ink has pulled and subtley contorted each piece. The exhibition will also include cyanotype prints, looping video installations, and live performance. This may seem like an exercise in sensory overload, something we all experience in our current culture, but Ebben invites viewers to slow down and take time to find what is significant in the exhibition. On opening night, the artist himself will make an appearance, providing materials for a live performance that will culminate in creating art that will be given away as gifts at the end of the evening.

"In The House of the Mineral Spirits" begins on January 14 with an opening reception from 6 to 10 p.m., and a performance at 7 p.m. The exhibition will be on display through February 28 at the Susan Hensel Gallery, located at 3441 Cedar Avenue South in Minneapolis. Read more about Dean Ebben's show on the Susan Hensel Gallery blog and Ebben's website.

When The House Is On Fire What Does It Smell Like, 2010; Dean Ebben

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