Rust to Dust: Frayed Opulence - Luxuriant Ruin, November-December, 2017
exhibition of works by Paula Nees and Eileen Woods, Columbus Cultural Center, Columbus, OH
Artists Paula Nees and Eileen Woods share an interest in the dichotomy of sumptuous beauty and the decay that time and neglect inflict upon it. From the remnants of exquisite textiles and papers, to letters that spell out someone’s last words on earth, the exhibition looks at the ephemeral nature of animal habitat and human works. Both artists work with fabric and use unusual media in the translation of their ideas.
Paula Nees: Statement
What is opulent and luxuriant are subjective notions based on a perceived value of a thing or place. The question of what is valued is where I began a series of works devoted to the natural world – its environs, habitat and creatures, both wild and captive. Driven in part by the fragile state of environmental protections in this country, I started by choosing certain situations and creatures that speak to that tenuous predicament. The valuable and sacred are notions that drive the use and care of animals of diverse countries. The question of which animal is better off – the rodeo bull or the sacred cow of India- is presented in the work “Sacred and Profane.” Freedom to roam versus a life in captivity is tempered by conditions of life on trash littered streets compared to being a captive given nutrient-rich feed. Both are revered and respected but for different ends. The diminishing number of vaquitas in the Sea of Cortez has brought attention to this small porpoise and to its demise through illegal fishing. As their numbers dwindle toward extinction, will that lead to capture and life in a protective space? “Diamonds over Silver” considers a similar fate (or protection) for animals whose natural habitat has now become more valuable to mining resources than as a home to the fauna and flora. Materials and methods changed with each piece. I juxtaposed the luxuriant surface of embroidered fabrics with industrial colors of grey paint and graphite. The pattern of the delicate embroidery added to the contrary nature of the massive image. In “Vanishing Vaquitas,” dyeing with indigo allowed for a range of blue shades, from intense to subdued. Using bleach, shellac, and rust was intrusive to the purity of the blue much like pollution dumped into the sea. These fading lengths of textiles also present an image of loss. The action of erasing used in “Twilight Aviary” works to define the silhouette of birds but also points to elimination. |
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RASA: AN ESSENCE BITTERSWEET solo exhibition January - February, 2017
Mt. Vernon Nazarene University, Mt. Vernon, OH
Mt. Vernon Nazarene University, Mt. Vernon, OH