The Atrium Gallery is excited to present two complementary exhibitions: work by artists Buckminster Fuller and Jim Nickel.

Buckminster Fuller presents a substantial exhibition. Fuller, distinguished 20th century figure, was known for his achievements in many related fields, including engineering, art, design, architecture, philosophy, literature and education. He operated as a practical philosopher, illustrating his theories through all of these disciplines, and was well-known as a “visionary.” He was interested in solving the problems of our civilization and acted globally in seeking solutions. He was certainly among the most brilliant persons of our time, and aside from his art, architecture and design contributions, his strongest legacy may be the influence he has had on so many other individuals working to create a more sustainable planet. This exhibition will feature several sculpture works, as well as a number of prints of his many “inventions,” his global map, and other designs.

Thirty Strut Tensegrity Sphere stainless steel, 6/10 13" x 13" x 13"

To enhance the exhibition, there are several Saturday morning programs featuring “Coffee with Bucky” with a chance for visitors to view the exhibition, relax with a coffee, and view some of the documentary video material accompanying the exhibition. Several film works showing feature footage of “Bucky,” rich with commentary on his life and work.

Shown as a complement to Fuller is Jim Nickel’s exhibition of current work. Nickel lived in St. Louis during the 70s and early 80s, when he was known as an abstract painter working in a geometric mode. His current work is a revival of a series he began thirty years ago, based on the iconic Venture symbol used by the St. Louis-based department store chain. A logo of black and white diagonal slashes was the “signature,” and it provided an inspiration for his early work. Current pieces are made with rough slabs of native wood, painted black and white, then cut up and reassembled into new forms, losing only sawdust in the process. Volume, pattern, and reflected color are the primary elements of these abstract works.

The exhibits run through May 15.

The Atrium Gallery is open Thursday – Saturday, from 10 am – 5 pm. Check out their website for additional information.