Cory Robinson: Kept Secrets : Open Code

In this exhibition, designer Cory Robinson builds upon his CODEX series, which employs a system of form typologies in varying combinations to generate unique compositions in both two- and three-dimensional works. Kept Secrets: Open Code uses this preordained design language to explore layered personal histories through recontextualized objects. The gallery is organized around three distinct spatial environments: the Church, the Court, and the Garten. The Church features five large, tufted rugs installed in a continuous curved sequence, evoking the apse of a cathedral. Produced in collaboration with a software-driven production partner, the designs translate the flat graphic language of the CODEX Series into textile compositions—digitally precise in conception yet softened and humanized in their yarn-rendered finish. The space engages the mystery and contemplative atmosphere associated with liturgical environments, using the unlikely medium of tufted yarn to construct images meant for quiet reflection. Robinson, who grew up in a rural, working-class community in central Indiana, was not raised religious and felt this positioned him as an outsider. Over time he has come to redefine his personal meaning of “church,” and here considers the work of Light and Space artists such as James Turrell, who—often inspired by sacred architecture—manipulates environments to alter perception and elicit the divine. The Court presents two exaggerated, throne-like chairs flanking the entrance to the Church. Their conceptual origins lie in the artist’s complicated relationship with the American justice system—specifically, a teenage courtroom experience in which he was publicly dismissed by a judge as a “smartass kid.” That moment destabilized his faith in law and order as neutral principles, and the installation explores the symbolism of thrones in relation to justice and power. The thrones incorporate multiple historical and cultural references: the ball-and-claw carving tradition of 18th-century Philadelphia furniture, the golden throne of Tutankhamun, and notably, tattoo subcultures, in which Robinson has observed phrases and ornamentation that reflect adherence to particular codes of law and order. The armrests terminate in carved wooden knuckles engraved with the phrases Open Eyes and Slow Burn — references to surveillance culture and a public increasingly desensitized to crisis. Together the thrones ask: who defines the law, who benefits from it, and how are its symbols constructed and maintained? The Garten is the most personal and quietest of the three environments. A grouped installation of sculptural lighting objects made from salvaged redwood, it is rooted in the artist’s lifelong affinity for plants and their coded visual languages. As a child, the “garden” for Robinson was the expansive acreage of genetically modified corn that surrounded his home. His affinity for cultivating plants developed as a hobby throughout adolescence and adulthood, and his studio practice grew to consider biomimetic design and how leaf shapes, branching patterns, and other forms repeat and vary across species. Robinson’s decision to work with redwood was galvanized during a visit to his grandfather’s home in the early 2020s, where he discovered a pile of redwood boards in the garage—remnants of a long-abandoned home improvement project. While he had previously avoided the material for its softness, it suddenly acquired new sentimental value. Warm and organic in contrast to the Court’s gold-leafed authority, the Garten asks gentler questions—how do leaf shapes create beauty in functional objects, and how do objects speak to one another the way plants animate a living space? —Shelley Selim About the Artist: Cory Robinson is a multi-disciplinary artist and designer whose practice navigates the intersection of fine art, functional design, and public engagement. With a career spanning over two decades, Robinson’s work is characterized by a relentless curiosity regarding materials, manufacturing processes, and the narrative potential of objects. Curator: Shauta Marsh with support from Shelley Selim, Mort Harris Curator of Automotive, Industrial, and Decorative Design, Detroit Institute of Arts This exhibition was made possible by The Efroymson Family Fund, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, The Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation, The Arts Council of Indianapolis and the City of Indianapolis.