The Many Facets of Mops at Yardstick

“Mop XXIV” by Melissa Dorn.

Yardstick presents Mopping Up, an exhibit of new work by Melissa Dorn. Mopping Up, heavily influenced by industrial mop heads, comments on issues around labor, women’s work and abstraction. The exhibit features drawings, paintings and sculptures as well as an altering of the gallery space.

While reading 33 Artists in 3 Acts by Sarah Thornton, Dorn came across the word “mop.” She couldn’t get the word out of her head. “Mop is a funny word. It’s short,” Dorn said, “but it feels alive…”

Dorn thought the mop might just stay in her sketchbook and her head, until she remembered her mom frequently calling her a mop head when she needed a haircut. Now, from hair to labor to feminism, Dorn realizes the endless possibilities of mops. She infuses common objects, things often overlooked, with humor and animating textures.

This exhibit runs Oct. 5 – Nov. 2, with a reception Oct. 5, 5-8 pm. Yardstick is located at 317 Steele Street, Algoma. For more information email [email protected] or call 785.917.9628.