Third Person

In their show Third Person, artists Kyle Ragsdale and Johnny McKee have come together to create a collection of collaborative pieces that simultaneously highlight their own styles while creating something entirely new when combined. By working together to create these pieces, McKee and Ragsdale demonstrate what makes their styles unique and provide space for viewers to appreciate how well they complement each other. 

Through creating the work for this show, Ragsdale and McKee learned how much they enjoy working together, but separately. For each piece, they would work on it in their own studio, then carry it through the building's winding stairs and hallways to the other person's studio. They would pass each piece back and forth in this way, communicating through the art about which direction it would go. Some pieces were passed back only 2-3 times, while others were alternated as many as 20 times. These visual conversations are fascinating to behold and draw viewers into the layers of Ragsdale's and McKee's individual styles.  

While Ragsdale is drawn to whimsical imagery, such as a bear holding a bowl of oranges and bright, shiny pigments, McKee is drawn to dark colors and abstracted imagery, such as his bold clouds and shapes. While working on this show, McKee described the best part of working with Rasgdale is how infectious his positivity is and how he is able to pull others into it. McKee "works hard to create nothing," while Ragsdale "is very reliant on representational imagery." Their favorite pieces to work on are the ones like Imperial or Sir Max a Lot that don't look like either of their styles and have become something unique. Those were also the most difficult for them to work on and to feel truly finished. 

This show is so meaningful because it reminds us how much it can help drive creativity when working with another person, and how we can bounce ideas off each other and encourage one another. While looking at these pieces, think of them as visual conversations between the two artists; let them inspire you to work closely with others and, through doing so, create something new.