Kelowna’s newest art exhibit is CHEAP!

From Kelowna’s own artist-in-residence Patrick Lundeen comes ‘CHEAP!’, a collection of various works all around the theme of cheapness.

Lundeen describes ‘CHEAP!’ in several ways: as a descriptor for low quality goods; a person who is miserly; or as a reference to a publication from Mad Magazine, which he says has been a huge influence on his work.

“All these works that I’ve done are kind of based around sort of my ideas around Kelowna and kind of the things that are going on here; the culture of Kelowna.” Lundeen told Kelowna10.

The exhibit houses seven unique works.

Among them is one called ‘The Stooges’, which, he said, is probably one of his best pieces so far, incorporating sound and interactive art.

In front of a synthesizer and loudspeaker lie two parking delineators, which when struck will produce a sound unique to themselves.

If the left one is struck, it will play one of 200 randomly selected Three Stooges audio clips, and if the one on the right is struck, it will play a nonrepeatable oscillator noise.

Lundeen cites the Three Stooges representation of chaos and caricature of day-to-day existence as a major influence behind all the work in the exhibit.

In the back corner of the exhibit lies a more eclectic display.

“This is a piece that has a sign that kind of has Kelowna-esque slogans about going to the lake and drinking wine and stuff like that,” he explained. “And then I’ve kind of assembled this sort of thing out of garbage inside.”

Above the pile of strewn out garbage is scrolling text, juxtaposing the scattered refuse with slogans like “Not all who wander are lost” or “What happens at the lake, stays at the lake.”

After doing an experience based on things that are free, and now on things that are cheap, Lundeen jokingly said that his next project will be expensive.

Patrick Lundeen’s ‘CHEAP!’ will be displayed at the Kelowna Art Gallery alongside his new EP of the same name until Jan. 29, 2023.