GetOut Magazine

Rezurrection exhibit features 300 salt shakers
from around the world
By ADRIENNE FRANK
Get Out
April 17, 2003

Some people collect shot glasses to chronicle their travels. Artist David Colagiovanni prefers salt shakers.

Last weekend, Colagiovannis Environments featuring nearly 300 salt shakers snatched from restaurants, bars and hotels (even a library break room) across the globe opened at Tempes Rezurrection Gallery. The exhibit, which also includes three 4-foot-by-8-foot paintings hung over a bed of grass (that visitors are invited to walk on) and a collection of Polaroid photographs, runs through May 5.

The salt shakers, many with salt in them, are suspended from the ceiling in arcs of various heights. Each features a tag alerting the viewer to where it came from; some hail from such faraway locales as Italy and the Middle East, while many come from Colagiovannis home state of Maine. The salt shakers which the artist simply says were obtained by unconventional means by himself, his friends and his family also come from restaurants and bars in Georgia, South Carolina, Illinois, Oregon and California.

They tell the story of his adventures like a travel journal, a very illegal travel journal, Lily Plummer of Tempe says with a laugh. Its very cool.

Environments also offers some insight as to what Colagiovanni has been doing in the East Valley for the last several weeks, as the exhibit features salt shakers from Bandersnatch, Mill Avenue Cue Club and Maricopa Cafe in Tempe and Paradise Bakery in Scottsdale.

First of all, I thought all salt shakers pretty much looked the same. I was wrong, Brennan Ryan of Tempe says of the exhibit, which features shakers of all colors, shapes and sizes. Second of all, I had no clue they could be so interesting.

Ryan says his favorite shaker is a dingy, plastic one labeled Fogler Library Breakroom.

Even though its probably the ugliest one of the bunch, its got so much character. It tells you something about the library and the people who work there, (along with) the artist himself.

Plus, its so much more exciting than vacation slides.

Contact writer Adrienne Frank at or .

'Environments'

Where: Rezurrection Gallery, 601 W. University Drive, Tempe
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
How much: Free
Info: or www.rezurrectiongallery.net