Artist Connie DK Lane working on a piece for Pratipadyate, a site-specific installation at Greenly Art Space
The exhibit’s title is the Sanskrit word for “one who paths,” according to the gallery’s owners, and the four artists participating in the show are using a variety of media and methods to transform the nonprofit gallery into an interactive opportunity for guests to walk through.
The artists include Shyanne Grandi, David Hocking, Kimberly Hocking and Connie DK Lane.
Grandi brings her experiences of being artist, art therapist and mother into her work.
“Her son plays as she creates copies of the mold of her belly while pregnant,” states a press release from Greenly. “She binds together, stitches through and makes impressions of fallen leaves. There is a quiet holiness about her work, which connects soul and nature in unique ways.” Â
Using materials spanning from video and sound to plaster and fabric, her media selection further serves to solidify themes of self-exploration from reflections on the here-and-now to imagining the intra-psychic connections between self and others, according to the gallery.
“When I find myself among the trees, branches reaching toward the sky or bending low to touch the earth, my thoughts scramble to find peace,” Grandi said. “I long for life to be simple.”
David Hocking has endeavored to transform the gallery into an entirely different kind of space, utilizing forms to evoke a sense of the sacred without directly invoking specific imagery. A series of arches provide the framework for the installation as a whole.
“The delicate narrow point of each beam seems to barely touch the ground and almost miraculously soar into arches high above the viewer,” according to the press release. “The simplicity of the forms is juxtaposed with [a] complex engineering mind that devised the method for achieving the desired feel.”
The exploration of life as a journey and art as a contemplative act have been ongoing themes in artist Kimberly Hocking’s work.
“The image of a tender warrior, standing in a serene forest, calls the viewer to reflect of the places of silence within themselves,” states the press release. “Artifacts— physical and spiritual— collected from a recent artist residency in India last November, give clues to the ongoing journey as a contemplative artist.”
Lane’s installation is inspired by what she has experienced during her recent trips to Japan.
“Either strolling through a gravel trail or stepping on a stone path through the garden, the journey allowed me to slow down and increased my awareness of the surroundings,” Lane said.
In creating her installation space, Lane borrowed from the concepts of traditional Japanese customs of ema— wooden plaques used for making wishes— and omikuji— slips of paper containing fortunes— and the serenity of zen gardens.
“My act of circling, folding and raking repetitively serves as a mantra of peace,” said Lane, who has created an immersive environment as a refuge and contrast to the modern-day fast-paced life.
The March 10 opening will be from 6pm to 9pm and is free and open to the public. This exhibit will be on display through April 7 and can be viewed by appointment by calling (562) 533-4020 or during regular gallery hours of Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11am to 2pm.
More Information
greenlyartspace.org
Source: Greenly Art Space
