Imitations at Soo Visual Arts

by Jenny Assef

We were never assigned pen pals at my elementary school. I remember being jealous of friends who had them, who received handwritten letters from 8-year-old strangers while I received none.

The Soo Visual Arts Center’s current exhibition represents pen pals of another sort. Five Minneapolis artists were each paired with artists from Detroit. The pairs exchanged slides and set out to imitate each other’s work. The result is a bright examination of style and authenticity. As stated in the exhibit guide, “Imitations challenges the idea of authorship and encourages artists to play the role of the copyist.”

Ideas aside, can a copy ever rival the real thing, and even if it can, should it? As a fan of innovation and an overall skeptic, I initially questioned whether imitation artwork could rise above the ranks of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter or fat free cream cheese.

But when I got to the show, I found my questions moot. It was only with grave concentration and some note-taking that I nailed down which pieces were copies and which were not. Some artists duplicated their partners very closely while others got a little loose. Some offered interpretations, augmentations, or inversions that enhanced my view of the originals, which was all very interesting. Though, in the end, I left feeling grateful not for the show’s concept but for certain individual pieces of art.

I was especially thankful for Christi Rinklin’s “Taste Bud”—a wonderfully glossy ode to tongues—as well as Kai Kim’s “St. Marina” and “St. Zita,” both exquisitely detailed portraits painted inside antique teaspoons.

And I won’t soon forget Alexa Horochowski’s untitled wedding dress, which any wise bride would think twice before wearing. (Just take a good close look at the fabric’s print. That’s all I’ll say).

Which of these were imitations and which were “real”? Maybe it matters very little. Maybe not at all. I’ll let you proceed to the show not knowing so you can conduct a taste test of your own.

Imitations runs through Jan. 26. Soo Visual Arts Center, 2640 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls. Hours: 12–6 weekdays; 12–4 weekends; closed Tuesdays. 612-871-2263.