melissa jones at galerie camille
From There to Here and Here to There
“From There to Here and Here to There” explores the journey of transformation through adversity—where grief, love, perseverance, and hope intersect. Jones' sculptural forms are poetic markers of emotional resilience, moving through deeply personal experiences to arrive at a place of renewed strength and reflection.
Throughout the exhibition, Jones invites viewers to consider how trials shape us, asking: What does it mean to transmute pain into power? How do we navigate emotional terrain and arrive at someplace new?”
Laid bare, the stoically calm body and face support the head and arms opening in surrender allowing the tossed hair to carry the apex of soulful release. The painted black backdrop accentuates the theatrical ghostly sculpture.
Subterranean #1 describes a polar opposite configuration in a tightly curled embryonic figure buried in layers of protective stone and dirt. During a period of necessary hibernation to induce and promote healing, the golden sunlight of the spirit is only temporarily dormant.
There might be an undisclosed chronology in that this crucified heart, left punctured and bleeding, is likely the impetus for this exhibition. Its anatomical precision is so unnerving I expected to see it beating.
As one emerges from profound loss, accepting the unexpected and unfamiliar path ahead, the thunderclouds recede and the blue sky that had always been there reclaims its view.
What makes an artist great is the willingness to be vulnerable, putting the most keenly sensitive aspects of their lives on full display. Which is why this work is a knockout from first foot in the door. No one gets through life without some agony. The trick is to turn these earth-shattering events into strength and hope. Not just for yourself but to present a path to peace for someone who doesn’t have a reserve of resilience or courage.
On view through June 27th at Galerie Camille 4130 Cass Ste C Detroit
*images are mine
direct quote from gallery materials
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