The era of the Anthropocen highlights a radical decentering of humans and an acknowledgment of the intricate web of relations in which we are entangled. Within this sticky web, we find ourselves, collectively, in terrifying and illuminating interspecies muddles and puddles. Produced during the generation-defining era of the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis, the artworks in this exhibition reflect the joy, anxiety and resilience of the artists as they develop new strategies to navigate muddles, puddles, and the Anthropocene.
From sculpture, to photography, to collage and illustration, Muddles, Puddles, and the Anthropocene, brings together artworks from a range of mediums that contend with the complexities of our current moment. The work of Rick Lee, Diana Kiaee, Laura Dempsey, Shaman Sree, Bo Vanderstarren, and Yuxin Wenpan follow human relations with the more-than-human through deep material investigations. The social stress of the Anthropocene is reflected in the diverse work of Cherie Leung, Andy Ocampo, Shihuixue Xu, Stefania Milano, Quinn Hopkins, and Kaylei Williamson. Finally, artists Raha Fard, Sara Dankha, Natalie Anderson, and Pam Patterson work through their personal relations to land as a way of navigating their changing environments. In tracing there webs of relationships, the artists ask viewers to reflect on the diverse ways in which we engage with our surroundings.
In the face of drastic social and environmental change, the exhibiting artists look from the everyday to the extraordinary as they contend with different human and non-human relations that make up the world around us. Beyond presenting a diverse investigation of the present, Muddles, Puddles, and the Anthropocene, works to inspire new ways of being that care for and preserve the web of relations in which we are all a part of.
Content Warning: The artworks in this exhibition contend with the often troubling reality of the Anthropocene. As a result, the included artworks reference subject matter that may be difficult for some viewers.
Juho Rick Lee, Diana Kiaee, Kaylei Williamson, Andy Ocampo, Shihuixue Xu, Natalie Anderson, Laura Dempsey, Sara Dankha, Yuxin Wenpan, Cherie Leung, Raha Fard, Stefania Milano, Shaman Sree, Bo Vanderstarren, Pam Patterson, Quinn Hopkins.
Curatorial statement by Ella Taylor. Image credit: Bo Vanderstarren, Nature Edits (2022) Photography. Dr. Pam Patterson, Course Instructor. Raha Alipourfard, Teaching Assistant. Ella Taylor, Class Assistant.
Credits:
Bo Vanderstarren, Nature Edits (2022)