North Central College presents works by artist Jason Godeke Jan. 12-March 6

The exhibit is free and open to the public in the College’s Oesterle Library Gallery, 320 E. School St., Naperville. An artist reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 6; complimentary refreshments will be served.

Godeke is interested in combining familiar, machined, idealized versions of humans with freshly hewn figurative aspects that are crude and flawed. He often draws or paints toys or figurines as actors with oversized objects as props or architecture and landscape as backdrops. A Barbie doll might need a gorilla’s arms to survive in a world without cars, clothes, computers or cash. Captain America might not be a big strong hero, but rather a scared, vulnerable little boy.

“There’s something appealing to me about the overt contrivance of a tableau, the fact that the artist not only renders the image, but also arranges and chooses the objects in the picture,” says Godeke.

For gallery hours or to learn more about the exhibit, contact Nickole C. Lanham, North Central’s gallery director, at 630-637-5375 or nclanhammurray@noctrl.edu.

North Central College’s 2013-2014 Fine and Performing Arts Season is partially sponsored by USG Corporation and a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. Season supporters include BMO Harris, Bulley & Andrews, Casa by Charleston, Grant Thornton, J.P. Morgan, Main Street Promenade, Marquette Properties, Nicor Gas, Ryan Hill Realty, Turner Construction Company, U.S. Bank Private Client Reserve and Water Street Development.