I’m thrilled to introduce the podcast component to these reviews. These micro artist talks add a layer of depth to the featured exhibition through the artist’s voice and descriptions. Please forgive the tentative nature of the pilot episode. I’m sure they will get into a comfortable groove shortly.
"I began this art series after a conversation I had with my grandfather, who emigrated from Punjab, India to the United States. While sharing old family pictures, we discussed the 1984 Sikh Genocide. My grandparents knew time by what came before 1984 and then what happened after.
This event left questions of what came before life and what comes after death. My grandparents knew time in this way and how it leaves a permanent mark in the body of my elders and me. I am creating abstractions, piecing together the body of the women that I belong to, preserving their stories. These are a somatic remembrance of ancestral practices such as weaving and rituals. Remembering is essential in our survival."
With several works suspended from the ceiling accompanied by traditional Punjabi music playing, there is an immediate immersion into this exhibition. The installation Piecing Her Together/An Offering is central to Kaur’s narrative. She explains the meaning of each element in the podcast.
What the Body Remembers blends heavier elements with Phulkari—folk embroidery of the Punjab—to form a spine; a body’s central support structure which contains a column of nerves that holds and communicates messages to the body. The play of shadow from this shape adds to its dimension.
Finding Breath Between the Binds and A Portrait of Us exhibit the artist’s range of materials and intricate embroidery skills. The clay grounds the light, transparent textile pieces that seem to float and flutter with any movement in the space. Their bright, cheerful colors elevate the viewers’ energy and mood.
Connected gives the viewer a sense of the artist’s hand and continued use of unconventional materials such as tea. Kaur maintains her light touch throughout the exhibition.
As the US continues to embrace its melting pot assemblage, discovering other cultures, especially via artistic expression, is one of its greatest by-products. Learning new and beautiful ways of navigating a peaceful and meaningful life is available to everyone.
On view through December 4th at Hatch Art 3456 Evaline Hamtramck
*images are mine
**podcasts will not be included every week due to contingency of the artist’s availability and willingness
direct quote from gallery or artist statements
SHOWS OPEN THIS WEEKEND
Harper Galleries of Art & Interiors
Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club
Oakland University Art Gallery
***program note: newly opened shows tend to be listed toward the top
navjeet kaur at hatch art