Chanbaragogo
Featuring
Chris Sagovac, M.A.
On exhibit March 18 - May 14, 2021
St. Louis Community College at Wildwood
Gallery of Contemporary Art
A Statement from the Artist
I like to take different things, from different places, and make something new yet
familiar by putting them together.
chanbara: sword fighting movies
gogo: relating to or dealing in popular often speculative investment expected to yield
high returns
agogo: being in a whirl of motion
I am rooted in soviet montage theory, fascinated with collage, and inspired by exploitation cinema. In particular, the synergetic ties between the American Western, Samurai Cinema, and the Spaghetti Western interest me greatly. Those directors created masterworks and drew inspiration native and not native to their own cultures. All having different perspectives, telling old stories in new ways, genres, and times. I emulate that process, but also create narrative from juxtaposing disparate mythologies in a cultural alchemical experiment, blending tradition and folklore that more often than not, shares surprising similarity. That interplay creates something new, yet familiar.
Meet the Artist
He is also an associate professor of animation and chair in the School of Communications at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri. He is in his 12th year at Webster, where he teaches animation. He loves opening student minds to the art of animation and the meditative focus of painstakingly rendering moments in time with consideration for a greater sequence. His films and art have been exhibited in various solo and group shows around the world.
Currently, he is producing game art for fantasy role-playing games.