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Photos by Chris Walters Photography
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The Merismadam & Eve2019
Red wine on cotton fabric, gold acrylic [Los Dos | Grenache-Syrah] 84" h x 36" w Please read artist statement below. Displayed: October 11 - 17 First Congregational United Church of Christ 171 West Pulteney Street | Corning, NY Reception | Friday, October 11 | 5 - 7 pm Artist Talk at 6 pm October 18 - 25 VOLO 74 East Market Street | Corning, NY This project is made possible, in part, with public funds from NYSCA's Decentralization Program, administered regionally by The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes.
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The Exhibits
Photos by Chris Walters Photography
ARTIST STATEMENT
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Meant to encourage questions more than express answers, The Merism pairs the concepts | first man and woman | sacred and profane | light and dark | good and bad | by exhibiting a version of Adam & Eve made with red wine in the sanctuary of a church and in the dark atmosphere of a bar.
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How does the context of an art exhibit affect the interpretation of the content of the art? How can something be considered sacred in one context and dangerous in another? What happens when something that had been accepted as good becomes bad and vice versa?
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How do two aspects that appear opposite speak to a greater whole?
How do societal judgments change simply with a change in context? Everything is composed of both of light and shadow. No one is exempt from the challenge of learning from both sides. |
Merism: The combination of two contrasting words (by extension: concepts) to refer to a greater whole.
*Update: Given the layers upon layers of intense events in 2020, this piece has also brought me to question my own privilege: who am I to depict Adam & Eve as people of color? How does their nakedness speak to and amplify the vulnerability of BIPOC communities, not only in terms of violence against their physical bodies, but also in terms of being critically exposed to much harsher socioeconomic environments, health conditions, and political treatment. Examining my own privilege, is it ultimately helpful or hurtful that I created this piece?
*Update: Given the layers upon layers of intense events in 2020, this piece has also brought me to question my own privilege: who am I to depict Adam & Eve as people of color? How does their nakedness speak to and amplify the vulnerability of BIPOC communities, not only in terms of violence against their physical bodies, but also in terms of being critically exposed to much harsher socioeconomic environments, health conditions, and political treatment. Examining my own privilege, is it ultimately helpful or hurtful that I created this piece?
The Process
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