Guttenberg Art is pleased to announce Comfort Station, an installation of new ceramic sculpture and video work by Karen Leo. The exhibition will be on view from March 8, 2025, through April 5th, 2025. Join us for the opening reception on Saturday, March 8th, from 7 PM to 9 PM. RSVP at guttenbergarts.org/exhibitions.

A Comfort Station is a place to relax and let obiects speak for us. This place is fueled by nostalgia, communication technology, helping hands and it smells of cigarette smoke. There are towels. On a clear day you can see your breath on a mirror. There are many places like this along our journey, just look closely. But who needs a destination when the trip is a lot more fun? Bring your own snacks. Kenny Loggins, play us out.

Karen Leo is a multimedia artist who makes drawings, sculpture and short videos using animation, costumes and hand-made puppets.

Her ambiguous characters tackle the mundane and mind the widening gap between expectation and reality. Anthropomorphized surrogates are used to highlight the humanity in unremarkable interactions. Reliance on technology, the global pandemic and the organic process of aging enforce a comfortable distance between souls. Leo tells the stories of frustrated encounters using stubbornly analogue means. The occasional frayed edges, tattered paper and fingerprints are evidence of human effort, and show material indifference to the artist's goals.

Pop culture is readily referenced. Allusions may be made to: action films, antiquated audio-visual equipment, disappointment, boxing, children's toys, soft rock, physical limitations, fear of death and wonder.

For additional information or to schedule an appointment, please visit guttenbergarts.org or call (201) 868-8585. Guttenberg Arts programming is made possible by a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a division of the Department of State, and administered by the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, Craig Guy, Hudson County Executive & the Hudson County Board of County