valerie mann at the birmingham bloomfield art center
Good Grief
“The works in this show are primarily abstract. When I look at, make and commit to the practice of abstract work, it’s a meditative and contemplative experience. I consider all the aspects that we see and experience when in the presence of each work. The pieces I make use color, light, texture, shape and shadow to express deeper ideas. The ideas I’ve been thinking about for the last few years are grief; how we individually, collectively, and communally experience grief; how we process grief and maintain some of our wholeness, or become more whole; how we learn about ourselves and our connections to the universal experience of grief.”
This installation’s muted palette relies heavily on shadow creating movement from simple forms. The lightweight materials possess enough value contrast between delicate segments to provide some added depth and visual weight.
Spill is firmly secured to the wall inhibiting any movement. Small, irregular wire shapes crescendo from the top to larger, aberrant rectangles toward the bottom. Their shadows interact in such a way it’s difficult to discern the object from its cast generating kinetic dimension.
Artist’s drawings demonstrate a maker’s skill set in rendering an object in a space and sense of composition which translates to construction choices in the installations. There is an intimacy in a drawing’s directness.
This is one of the few pieces in this exhibition that affords some color. Organized strips of varying widths read as a study in gold from metallic to near black. This surface allows no mistakes while torn edges lend an informality.
Color is so powerful it can compensate for lack of proficiency in other areas. With very little of such throughout the exhibition, Mann’s acumen employing spatial relationships, texture and composition shines providing ample effect to provoke a viewer’s consideration.
On view through June 1 at Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center 1516 S. Cranbrook Birmingham
*exhibiting in an adjacent gallery are some of my BBAC students. They’ve worked hard and made some really great work. Yeah, I’m biased but they’re still worth the trip.
**images are mine. The paper pieces are under glass so there are a couple points of light that are not part of that work.
direct quote from gallery materials
***feel free to remark on the absence of dimensions of each piece. This is an ongoing personal perturbance and wondering if I need to carry a tape measure along with my notebook.
SHOWS OPEN THIS WEEKEND