Surrounded by the Seasons

maria-neil- Chaney Fall

Imagine, if you will, walking into a gallery where you are not just stepping into an exhibition, you are stepping into the exhibit. As you come in from the chill of a late fall evening, you are essentially hugged by a work of art that allows you to take in each of the seasons one at a time or feel them all at once. This is the experience you will find at the Maria Neil Art Project this November.

 

Libby Chaney’s newest fabric installation, Seasons, is a profusion of color, textures, and patterns. Originally created for the imposing, Gothic Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago, the piece will be shown in its entirety in the much more intimate setting of Maria Neil’s Waterloo Arts District gallery. Seasons is an impressionistic compilation of chronological snapshots, broken up into several vertical panels. Not only does this work feature each distinct season, but it also depicts transitional periods between each season – something we are usually accustomed to here in Northeast Ohio. Seasons offers something playful and unexpected; vibrant, but also meditative; detailed, yet formless.

 

“From a spiritual perspective, most of the world’s major traditions root their practices in seasonal ritual of one kind or another,” explains Chaney, “further, we are all aware of what I would call the seasons of our lives.” In fact, the work is also very personal for Chaney. “Each and every scrap of silk, flannel, cotton, and canvas has been collected by Libby at some point in her travels,” adds MNAP co-owner Adam Tully, “it’s like so many conversations between Libby and the strangers from whom the fabric once belonged.” Chaney spent two entire years interweaving scraps of her existence, creating a tapestry that encourages viewers to confront their own. In doing so, she not only dialogues with her own past but also incorporates the unknown histories of former fabric owners. Chaney transforms their dresses, curtains, tablecloths, cultures, histories, and more into a universal and timeless exploration of season.

 

The installation will only be on view at the Maria Neil Art Project for a limited time – only two weeks. During the exhibition, several events and talks will be held around the installation. Visit our website to learn more.

 

Libby Chaney: Seasons

November 6 through 22

Opening Reception: Friday, November 6, 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm