2008 Woodie Awards
'The Elements of Air' exhibit opens at gallery
Jessica Rodriguez
Issue date: 9/20/07 Section: A & E
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The third to be shown in a series of exhibits, "The Elements of Air" debuted at the Gallery of Contemporary Art on Sept. 16.
According to the director of the gallery, Sophia Geves, "The pre-Socratic philosopher, Empedocles, noted the world's division into four naturally occurring Elements, 'earth, sea, air and the fiery ether of the heavenly bodies,' were the basis of all matter. For centuries, these elements continued to be the foundation for our decoding of the world."
"The art gallery has a very high-tech feel, with the included multimedia features," said Jon Walker, head of the Art Department, Fairfield.
"Paul Villinski and all the other artists have done a great job with such an interesting theme," said Walker remarking on the artist of "Lament," which was created out of knit gloves found on the streets of New York and then sewn together to create wings.
"You can't capture air. It's not a substance, like Earth, fire, and water. You can't see it, you can only show its interaction with people."
One of the artists, Tomomi Ono, focused her two rice paper paintings on the existence of seeds.
"The theme of my artwork is 'existence' and the transience of that existence which remains only while water continues to run through one's body," said Ono, Japan.
"The figurative images in the center of my artwork are the symbols of life. Sometimes they are floating in the air and at other times sinking or piled into a dark space. The seeds represent a time capsule of life which has the power the start from on small piece."
"The exhibit was quite interesting. It's surprising to me what kind of things come to a person's mind when it comes to art," said Jaime Kilis, senior, Marlborough.
"The abstract art, the photos, the multimedia, and detail, everything is connected to air, but portrays the element in so many different aspects."
Arriving courtesy of the Jonathan Ferrara Gallery in New Orleans were photographs from Charlie Varley, showing the damage done to the Hyatt Hotel by Hurricane Katrina were also featured.
The freelance British photojournalist was in New Orleans when Katrina hit.
The photos showed the blown out windows of the Hyatt, and the "organic shapes of the curtains flowing out of the geometric building."
There were three photographs titled, Room with a view: Hurricane rips the glass from the Hyatt Hotel, Curtains: Hyatt Hotel hit by Katrina, and Reporter Ryan Parry surveys the damage to our room on the 25th floor of the Hyatt Hotel, New Orleans.
"The photos are so moving, and you really see how powerful the element of air is connected to Hurricane Katrina, through movement of the curtains and the blown out windows," said Emily Stack, freshman, Long Island, N.Y.
The exhibit will be open until Nov. 4 and will also feature a lecture by Robert O. Mendelsohn, Ph.D. of Yale University, entitled, "The Impact of Air Pollution in the U.S." on Sept. 25.
According to the director of the gallery, Sophia Geves, "The pre-Socratic philosopher, Empedocles, noted the world's division into four naturally occurring Elements, 'earth, sea, air and the fiery ether of the heavenly bodies,' were the basis of all matter. For centuries, these elements continued to be the foundation for our decoding of the world."
"The art gallery has a very high-tech feel, with the included multimedia features," said Jon Walker, head of the Art Department, Fairfield.
"Paul Villinski and all the other artists have done a great job with such an interesting theme," said Walker remarking on the artist of "Lament," which was created out of knit gloves found on the streets of New York and then sewn together to create wings.
"You can't capture air. It's not a substance, like Earth, fire, and water. You can't see it, you can only show its interaction with people."
One of the artists, Tomomi Ono, focused her two rice paper paintings on the existence of seeds.
"The theme of my artwork is 'existence' and the transience of that existence which remains only while water continues to run through one's body," said Ono, Japan.
"The figurative images in the center of my artwork are the symbols of life. Sometimes they are floating in the air and at other times sinking or piled into a dark space. The seeds represent a time capsule of life which has the power the start from on small piece."
"The exhibit was quite interesting. It's surprising to me what kind of things come to a person's mind when it comes to art," said Jaime Kilis, senior, Marlborough.
"The abstract art, the photos, the multimedia, and detail, everything is connected to air, but portrays the element in so many different aspects."
Arriving courtesy of the Jonathan Ferrara Gallery in New Orleans were photographs from Charlie Varley, showing the damage done to the Hyatt Hotel by Hurricane Katrina were also featured.
The freelance British photojournalist was in New Orleans when Katrina hit.
The photos showed the blown out windows of the Hyatt, and the "organic shapes of the curtains flowing out of the geometric building."
There were three photographs titled, Room with a view: Hurricane rips the glass from the Hyatt Hotel, Curtains: Hyatt Hotel hit by Katrina, and Reporter Ryan Parry surveys the damage to our room on the 25th floor of the Hyatt Hotel, New Orleans.
"The photos are so moving, and you really see how powerful the element of air is connected to Hurricane Katrina, through movement of the curtains and the blown out windows," said Emily Stack, freshman, Long Island, N.Y.
The exhibit will be open until Nov. 4 and will also feature a lecture by Robert O. Mendelsohn, Ph.D. of Yale University, entitled, "The Impact of Air Pollution in the U.S." on Sept. 25.
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