human : Animal
June 4th - August 1st
Past EXHIBIT
Humans and animals have a complex relationship. Humans are animals. Humans project humanity on to animals via anthropomorphism. Humans have exerted themselves as caretakers of the animals and the environment. The many facets and layers of this rapport vacillate between interconnection and disassociation with cohesion happening frequently.
This exhibition is an exploration of two artists that utilize animals to express the difficult and challenging subjects of institutional fear, climate change, and the growing dissonance of the modern world. Christopher St. John explores the dynamics of the human condition that is resistant to seeing the suffering and confusion of a world that appears to be in turmoil. Rachel Denny utilizes material to create lyrical forms that speak to the extravagance of consumption and the hubris of managing nature.
The juxtaposition of these two artists mirrors the commonalities and disparities of the human and animal. It is our hope to create the opportunity for dialogue and understanding through the viewer’s interaction with the work.
Artist Receptions
August 1st | 5-7pm
christopher St. John
Mixed Media
My work touches on the impact of place on the shape of our lives, the luck we have in living on a planet with a biosphere, the vocabulary of form, the figure, and impermanence. Animals make regular appearances in my work. My art has been exhibited and collected across the United States and internationally in France, Sweden, Japan, Canada, and Malta. I received my BFA from the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. My art is in the permanent collections of two American museums.
Rachel Denny
Mixed Media Sculptures
My work is an exploration of the seductive beauty of our natural world and the imprint that human intervention has made on its flora and fauna.
I work in a variety of media and am inspired by the elegant forms found in the natural world and the time-honored action of trying to depict these forms in a relevant way that is an homage to this beauty and wonder.
I have been shown in galleries nationwide for over 10 years and my sculpture is in many private collections worldwide. I live and work in my rural studio outside of Portland, Oregon.