LAS VEGAS – January 28, 2010 – Artist John Bissonette recently created a sculpture based on a child’s desk chair he found near a dumpster. It appeared sturdy enough to withstand common elements but its fragility as a sculpture resonated with the artist. His new exhibit, “Teetering on the Brink…,” further investigates the feeling of vulnerability and opens Feb. 1 at the Clark County Government Center Rotunda Gallery, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway. An artist reception will be held during First Friday activities Feb. 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibit continues through March 12. 

“(The exhibition) is meant to respond to the instability, vulnerability and doubt that are undercurrents in nearly every conversation of recent times,” said Bissonette of “Teetering on the Brink…” “These pieces both flaunt and deconstruct myths of stability, wealth and excess. They represent both the veneer and its substrate-like pressboard furniture under a heavily gilded exterior… Like the little chair, found outside a dumpster in Las Vegas, that served as their inspiration, these sculptures are hopeful but ultimately not optimistic.”

The three-dimensional pieces in the exhibit are constructed from various materials such as Styrofoam, recycled found elements and fabricated parts such as a shopping cart and moving boxes.

Bissonette recently earned a Jackpot Grant from the Nevada Arts Council specifically for this exhibition. He also has exhibited his works in Knoxville, Tenn.; Chicago; Columbus, Ohio; Corpus Christi, Tex.; and Tallahassee, Fla. He earned his Master of Fine Arts degree, with a concentration in drawing and painting, from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and his Bachelor in Fine Arts degree from the Columbus College of Art and Design. Bissonette also participated in the highly regarded Residency Fellowship at the Bemis Center in Omaha, Neb.

The Rotunda Gallery is open during Government Center business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and during First Friday activities until 10 p.m. Those interested can call 455-7340 or visit the Web site at www.accessclarkcounty.com/parks. Clark County Parks and Recreation also can be found on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook by visiting http://tinyurl.com/l87c4l.

About Clark County

Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability.  With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation’s 15^th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to more than 2 million citizens and 42 million visitors a year. Included are the nation’s 7^th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the state’s largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The county also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to almost 900,000 residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development.