Weakness
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As an artist, I have been taught that each of my artistic decisions must have a carefully formulated argument justifying them. This pressure for perfection is not exclusive; in the face of the edited world of social media, we are all asked to have everything figured out. Bottomless options and opinions call on us to justify why we aren’t our “best self”. Every post online serves the message that we aren’t enough; that we should be learning, discerning, advocating, repenting, reflecting, curating and judging everything. The noise of this entertainment allows social media companies to exploit us for our time and our data.
What if we are already enough? What if we don't need to constantly work to overcome our messy selves? Can we allow ourselves the space to slow down and reframe that which we typically see as flawed? My series on weakness uses humour to twist the seamlessness of the digital world into something silly and beautiful. The imagery of stained glass acts as a screen, or portal, for both meditation and transformation. Each work starts with a phrase or word associated with personal failing, along with an idea of the glass pattern. From there, I build up a line drawing using repeating shapes and symmetry. I then add objects, framing and lighting to help create depth. While designing, I make conscious choices on where to include signs of the human hand, such as handwritten text, brushstrokes, and imperfections. Through experimentation, I slowly build up materials until I have a unique shrine of decorative architecture. These colourful windows shine brightly, their careless beauty laughing kindly at the negativity they hold. They stand as individual moments of transition that welcome the randomness, violence and absurdity of the human condition. A selection of nine chalices sit as a sub-series to this work, depicting dedicated shrines to negative aspects of the self. Each mysterious sacred cup sits in a dark, quiet niche tempting us to take a sip, and acquire the attributes they promise. I dare ask, are these aspects of ourselves not sacred? A discussion about this work and Heal can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI9LP7MC10k |
Heal
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Public Art Installation Centrepointe Park, Ottawa ON Canada August 25, 2020 - March 11, 2022 Artwork commissioned by the Public Art Program of the City of Ottawa. Microcosm/Microcosme is an invitational call for professional artists residing in Ottawa to design and implement temporary, public facing projects that will offer a break from isolation and will produce informal community connections. As the representative artist for Ward 8, I have used the pathways of Centrepointe Park to explore a mental pathway of conflict resolution. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a long list of new and old conflicts have taken center stage in our everyday psyche. Being stuck at home has made conflict inescapable, be it personal or shared. Many community members walk the pathways of parks as a break, and as a method for processing thoughts and feelings. This act of co-ambulation is key to seeking resolution and healing in our community at both the individual and collective level. Walking is meditative, and visiting a community space can reaffirm our connectedness. I have chosen to create three stations within Centrepointe Park to feature a 24”x36” poster illustrating a statement relevant to the healing process. Each has been stationed around a loop to highlight that they do not run in any particular sequence and that viewing them can be repeated multiple times. My hope is that community members sit with these statements and meditate on their personal meaning. Each poster depicts the statement erected as a large monument on a journey across an expansive internal geography. Water floods each landscape, sitting quiet and deep while the landscape rises up to meet us. The horizon is always visible, hinting that the journey forward continues. |
Transformation Series
Donut Studies
To purchase prints, please visit https://www.wallspacegallery.ca/art#/marianne-burlew