Simple shapes, large swaths of color and quasi-patterns dominate the abstract landscapes of Jeff Kraus’ canvases. 

But the 31-year-old Grand Rapidian doesn’t want to tell you how to interpret his work. Rather, Kraus enjoys “the fact that each person can look at it and associate different things from their life onto it.” The art, which has been shown in galleries from Los Angeles to New York, is meant to be experienced rather than deciphered.

“The UICA has been a major reason why I enjoy living in GR, as it has been the most professional, inspiring, forward-thinking art institution outside of Detroit, as far as I’m concerned.”

Way back in 2007, a group of sculpture students at Kendall College of Art & Design embarked on a project that’s since grown faster and larger than they ever could have expected. 

That project, first known as ACTIVESITE and later called SiTE:LAB, has been making a name for itself in the local arts scene (and beyond). Revue talked with Amenta about plans for the future, why SiTE:LAB is important, and what the general public should get out of it all.

Rust — a notorious destroyer of aged bikes, pipes and cars, takes on a new meaning at the superusted exhibition, opening August 18 at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts (UICA) in downtown Grand Rapids. 

Drawing on her experiences living in the Midwest — also known as the “Rust Belt of America,” exhibition curator Cheryl Wilgren Clyne focuses on the transformative nature of rust in superusted, which runs through Oct. 23.