We can’t help but feel a good amount nostalgia mixed in with the relief and triumph at the end of each semester. Here’s a re-cap of the amazing art on display by/of/for students in Visual Arts.
For information on all gallery exhibitions, please visit our page on My Naropa.
Follow us @SchooloftHearts.
Moments When She is Alone With Herself / Alone With Herself
In their culminating thesis exhibition, Darius Khonsary has turned the student gallery into a porcelain dimension reflecting the complex imposition of maturing identity in the binary zones. In order to transpose the experience of binary address in language between the language of culture and mother-tongue, Darius eruditely uses various visual media. The landscape itself is sparse, almost beach like with its textile floor, hand-built tile vanity and tub with sand at its feet. There is a faint glow emanating from the lights around the retro-style mirror. Beside this hangs a roll of toilet paper with ‘use me’ printed on each square, cascading onto the floor where a cracked pink crystal geode exists as a would-be paper weight, speaking to the gendered chaos of this ablution.
A kind of chaos that is present even in the throws of childhood. The kind of chaos that links us to the sound of ocean waves while sharing bodies with water. “Water is sound, is language”, as are we. Water is also a body with many moods and modes and can be present when not seen at all. Water can speak for us when put in the foreground of a home movie. In their artists statement, Darius writes, “Language is a dynamic & changing entity w/ a very specific relationship to culture and time…”; little child, dress & pearls with doll in hand, speaking with his mother who is behind the video camera, capturing the ephemera of time in a child.
They go on to say that, “…language itself allows for validation of existence through naming.” Here they turns to his mother-tongue, Farsi for a model in non-gendered language in its grammatical omission of any pronouns at all. Through this omission comes permission for the existence of an othered self which does not have to fight waves to exist.
“Water is a genderless language. Water holds space for us all. Water is safe, is a fluid body”.
2-D Design: Art Techniques and Experimentation
This exhibit was a show-case of the fundamental skills learned by the students over the semester with their professor, Liz Acosta.
(From the class description) 2-D Design is an introduction to a variety of technical, conceptual, and experimental methods used to make art. Students explore color theory and design principles using basic drawing, painting, and mixed materials. Intuitive, intellectual, and contemplative modes of inquiry provoke expanded possibilities and approaches to practicing studio art.
~
ELEMENTS OF THE UNDEFINED
Lauren Burgos
Lauren Burgos takes an intimate approach to the exploration of her psyche integrated into each of her pieces. She leaves her work open to interpretation, pushing the boundaries of what is explainable in art. She states, “I create to serve as a mirror for reflection, evoke emotion, and process my own.” Aspiring for her work to be multifaceted, she considers a cornucopia of possibilities to translate her visions into existence.
Remi Crist, Undefined Spaces Series
Exploring the concept of juxtaposition to the fragile human emotion, Remi Crist creates a body of work that explores Undefined Spaces. She takes a journey with color and human expression using watercolor and paper as her tool, a medium which has no boundaries and an element of unpredictability. Remi captures an effortless world that had no clarity or definition using contrast of color and negative space. Her work allows you to step into a space of unknown and find your own story.
Joshua Stewart, Tapping into Collective Consciousness Series
Joshua Stewart layers each piece with texture, carrying an intriguing quality of depth leaving you with a desire to reach out and experience its surface. Conscious of the environment, Joshua focuses on using local recycled materials from various locations; this brings further character to his work. Tapping into Collective Consciousness captures a quality of fluid expression while taking you into a realm of untapped creative energy.
Sophia Pilmenstein, an Artists journey through watercolor, acrylic & graphite
Sophia Pilmenstein’s work focuses on exploring abstract color combinations, texture, pattern, and the beauty of the female figure. Her paintings present a sense of fluidity that journeys into a world of color and fantasy. Her graphite work is focused on capturing the human essence through portraiture and the detailed study of landscape and object. These works of art represent her self-exploration and who she is becoming as an artist.
