| ampersand is very pleased to present the solo shows of Shashana Chittle and Lauren Davies Opening reception |
| Shashana Chittle: Mind (You) |
Shashana Chittle (Bay Area artist) methodically draws attention to the mysterious relationship between matter and consciousness. In her studio practice, sensory investigations are always paired with exercises in spiritual rituals, eventually incarnated in her mystical, delicate and sublime drawings, paintings and installations. "My work is born of mystical necessity. |
| Lauren Davies: Looking After
Lauren Davies is a San Francisco-based artist working in a range of mixed media projects that explore our often-troubled relationship with the natural world. Much of her work is based on the childhood experience of attending painting classes in a natural history museum. Davies' installations explore the ironic artifice found in many museum dioramas coupled with the folksy presentations of small town historical interpretive centers. Labor-intensive "do it yourself" replicas of wildlife and geological elements are carefully constructed from wildly inappropriate materials. Other recent projects have ranged from recreated scenes of destructive fires and debris, to the absurdity of correspondence course taxidermy studies and pedigreed dog breeding. Curatorial oversight of a vast collection of lint has been an ongoing project for over ten years. The unifying element found in these eclectic projects is an interest in exploring obscure subject matter and imagery, coupled with an obsessive use of sad sack materials and an underlying dark humor. “Looking After presents a series of abstract, mixed media objects that visually suggest the lumpy remains of scorched specimens. These odd objects are paired with brightly colored architectural elements such as wall panels, carved molding, shelves and display pedestals. The work weaves together a variety of personal interests: taxidermy, dioramas and natural history displays; curating and presentation of collections; issues of preservation, ownership and control over the natural world. The title Looking After refers to the function of curators from a previous era when the job required “looking after” collections of everything from religious paintings and rare stamps to gem stones and antique farm tools. Looking After presents carefully crafted scenes of destruction and debris, to create a visual commentary on the possibility of real world chaos inflicted on the orderly environment of the natural history museum. The 2008 fire that virtually destroyed Deyrolle, the greatly beloved taxidermy emporium located in the heart of Paris, was the inspiration for this project.”
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ampersand international arts |
