Curated by Alison Sigethy and produced by Veronica Szalus, “Eclipse” is an invitational sculpture present opening Jan sixteenth on the Athenaeum that examines gentle and shadow, liminal area, and the passage of time.
An exhibition titled “Eclipse” evokes themes of transformation, obscuration, revelation, and the interaction of sunshine and shadow. The works of Washington Glass Faculty artists Tim Tate, Erwin Timmers, and Michael Janis appears to suit so seamlessly into such a thematic framework, every providing a novel interpretation of those concepts by their distinct methods and narratives.
Tim Tate is understood for combining conventional glass craft with trendy video parts and digital media to create mixed-media sculptures that discover themes of reminiscence, mortality, and the passage of time. His works usually embody themes of transformation, obscuration, revelation, and the interaction of sunshine and shadow. On this exhibition, Tate’s work symbolizes the second of revelation that happens throughout an eclipse, the place hidden truths or forgotten histories come to gentle. His lenticular prisms that shift between imageries successfully seize the fleeting second of an eclipse the place gentle is quickly blocked but nonetheless seen in different types.
Stated Tate: “In my lenticular collection, I goal to seize the character of reminiscence and notion. By layering a number of pictures inside a single lens, I create a way of depth and dimensionality that shifts and adjustments because the viewer strikes.”
Erwin Timmers is deeply dedicated to environmental sustainability, and his works crafted from recycled glass introduce a theme of renewal and regeneration throughout the “Eclipse” exhibition. Timmers makes use of discarded supplies to create lovely types, highlighting the potential for transformation in essentially the most sudden locations—very similar to an eclipse, which quickly alters notion and understanding. His work usually conveys a story of reclaiming what’s solid apart, becoming nicely into the exhibition’s overarching theme of cycles of destruction and rebirth. As soon as destined for landfills, the recycled supplies are reborn as testaments to the facility of transformation and the significance of reexamining our relationship with the pure world. Timmers’ recycled glass sculptures additionally play with gentle, given the translucent nature of glass, including a dynamic interaction of illumination and shadow.
Stated Timmers about his work within the Eclipse collection: “I discover the intersection of environmental waste and wonder. By casting discarded supplies into sensuous types, I goal to disclose the sweetness hidden throughout the discarded and the forgotten. As we stand on the fringe of ecological disaster, I consider that artwork can function a catalyst for change, inspiring us to reimagine our place throughout the delicate steadiness of the ecosystem.”
Michael Janis’ sgraffito glass portraits, which regularly discover identification, human emotion, and societal themes, align with the “Eclipse” theme by specializing in the layers of human expertise and the partial obscuration of self. His strategy of layering powdered glass to create advanced imagery is akin to the best way an eclipse regularly reveals or conceals—shadows and lightweight enjoying throughout the floor, revealing deeper meanings. His works evoke the interior eclipses we face—moments the place components of ourselves or our histories are hidden or revealed relying on the angle or gentle shed on them. Janis’ portraits additionally symbolize the private and psychological features of an eclipse, coping with identification, transformation, and the hidden features of the self that come to gentle.
Stated Janis of his frit powder portraits: “Every factor of my art work serves as a form of illustration of the chaotic nature of human existence. By abstracting the sensible figures, I spotlight the intricate layers that form our identities, each inner and exterior. These divisions symbolize the various features of our personalities, experiences, and cultural influences that converge inside a single being.”
Eclipse
An Athenaeum Sculpture Invitational
Curated by Alison Sigethy
January 16, 2025 – February 23, 2025
Artist Reception: Friday, January 17, 6 – 8 pm
Artist Speak: Sunday, February 23, 2 pm
Taking part artists:
Michael Janis
Lori Katz
Mike Value
Carol Prusa
Sarah Hood Salomon
Salih Zeki Sayar
Murat Sener
Michael Enn Sirvet
Tim Tate
Erwin Timmers
Maduka Uduh
The Athenaeum is dwelling to the Northern Virginia Wonderful Arts Affiliation (NVFAA), a corporation devoted to the upkeep and preservation of the constructing and the celebration of regional arts.
The Athenaeum Gallery
201 Prince Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314
