Door County Arts: “Doork” Confronts Human Nature

Is it funny, or not? “Doork” is Jim Maronek’s large montage of weird headlines culled from The Door County Advocate over 20 years. It continues to be on display at his Silver Poplar Studios Gallery, where a steady stream of visitors have stopped to see the bizarre collection.

Some people end up rolling on the floor in stitches. They are the ones who validate Maronek’s peculiar obsession. They will point to a favorite headline with glee and read it aloud several times for the fun of it. The laughs feed upon themselves, growing to a climactic fit.

Others will stare for an extended period of time, slowly shaking their head in disbelief. Occasional snorts, which may or may not indicate appreciation, will punctuate their vigil. The gallery is not especially easy to find, and the effort demands a certain period of contemplation, the same as finally getting to stand in front of “The Mona Lisa.”

Finally, there are those who find no humor in “Doork” at all. They secretly resent having made the pilgrimage, only to find that some jerk pasted a bunch of headlines, cut out of a newspaper, onto a board and now is asking money for it. Their sour gaze confirms the fact that artists are not to be fully trusted.

“Doork” is being offered by silent auction until October 11 at Silver Poplar Studios, 1519 East Door Bluff Road, Ellison Bay. The other art in Maronek’s gallery is not meant to be funny, but that does not preclude the occasional snicker.