twisted
adjective
1. forced out of its natural or proper shape; crumpled.
2. (of a personality or a way of thinking) unpleasantly or unhealthily abnormal; warped.
By Victoria Strange
It is an exciting challenge when a theme is proposed to artists. How will they interpret it? Which side of the definition will they align? The Revelstoke Art Gallery’s newest exhibition by its members explores the theme of twisted. Artists had the potential to focus on the physicality in its meaning, or delve into a darker place.
Twisted opens in the Main Gallery on Friday night, March 18, to the public. The exhibition is eclectic as you would expect with various mediums and styles presented, but the overarching theme is felt, tipping towards the softer side of the definition. Many artists sought inspiration from nature, with curling bark, turning blades of grass and the curves of bird feathers. Cat Mather’s “drying rack”, showcasing her hand made ceramic mugs hanging from a gnarled and twisted piece of driftwood, fits nicely alongside paintings of intertwining tree branches. This side of twisted is well curated and relatable.
There is one piece, however, that sits on the edge of that darker place. Leslie Savage’s work, 1 in 9: Breast Cancer Cards, stands apart from the others. The neatly placed turquoise and pink sewing box and small painted placards don’t initially scream for attention as they sit on a plinth in the middle of the gallery. However, the work is obviously very different, not just with its presentation but also its message. The viewer is asked to participate, asked to stitch through the powerful imagery on a placard with a needle and thread. I choose the image of a breast, push my needle into the next numbered pinhole, and pull my twisted thread through, connecting one more stitch around the nipple. It feels uncomfortable, sad, hopeful, and yes… twisted. I’m overly taken with the work and the fact that the artist has pushed us into teetering on the other side of the exhibition’s theme.
Also opening on Friday, is artist, Leora Gesser in the Side Gallery with the exhibition, Boundaries. Large scale drawings using mixed media fill the intimate space and present a cohesive and strong exhibit. The abstracted works push and pull between being active and alive, to having also a quiet harmony. Colour is used sparingly while her drawing lines also give us “just enough information” into the landscape, allowing the viewer to more freely interpret the natural scape she has created. The works are both beautiful and chaotic. Gesser will be presenting an artist talk on Friday, April 29 at 2 pm.
Twisted and Boundaries opens on Friday, March 18, at 6 pm at the Revelstoke Art Gallery and continues until April 29.
