Photo by: Katy Owens

Although artist Rupprecht Matthies uses many types of art installations, his primary focus of expression is the written word.

In his exhibit “AT,” words hang from ceilings. They are painted on walls; they make their way into pillows, papers and designs. Many of Matthies’ works are interactive. They are reflections of the people who participate in Matthies’ pieces.

Matthies is a Hamilton Visiting Artist at the Denver Art Museum, reinterpreting his “¿Being Home?” installation, at the Denver Art Museum’s “Embrace!” project which was on display from 2009-2010.

The installation, as with many of Matthies’ pieces, is a reflection of the people who participated in his workshops. Matthies visited the University of Denver last week.

He delivered a lecture, where he discussed his past artwork and his upcoming project.

Matthies also held two workshops in the Nagel Art Studios last Wednesday and Thursday. Students, faculty, alumni, staff and the surrounding community members were welcome. At these workshops people are asked basic questions, ranging from “What is your favorite word?” and “Where are you from?” to “What do you think about?” and “What does ‘being home’ mean to you?”

The painting studio in Nagel was filled with tables strewn with irons, hot glue guns, pencils and makers. Students, faculty and alumni participated in his lecture and the following studio.

Working with Matthies, students wrote down words, used an overhead projector to create a larger template of the words and cut out them out using brightly colored papers and fabrics.

At the end of the two days of workshops, Matthies will select various words from this compilation to create his work. In his previous “¿Being Home?” installation, Matthies used some of the words to create patterns on the walls. Some hung on strings, forming giant mobiles.

Others were more interactive, taking the form of trees, clouds or flowers. A few words even made their way into pillows. His reinterpretation of the installation will use sculptures and mobiles made from Plexiglas, Styrofoam, foam and other mediums.

Matthies’ piece reflects the people who made it, and when they experience it, they can visualize themselves in it. His installation is a portrait of the people who contributed words, and it will become a portrait of the people who visit it at the Denver Art Museum.

According to participants of the workshop, the way Matthies works with words is unique and powerful. He uses something so ordinary and everyday: words heard, seen and spoken regularly. His works are unique to both the location they  are constructed in as well as by the people who participate in them.

His work gives the people who contribute to his installation a way to share their own feelings and ideas, giving the installations new life and meaning to the words they contain.

Matthies’ reinterpretation and reinstallation of “¿Being Home?” will open on Nov. 12 at the Denver Art Museum. The exhibit will be open until        Feb. 12.  The exhibit will be constructed of Styrofoam, Plexiglass and foam. It will incorporate words for several languages as well.

More information can be found on the museum’s website at www.denverartmuseum.org.