Our shared planet is increasingly being confronted by unpredictable, abrupt, and continuous changes to natural environments. Gallery VER would like to invite gallerygoers to explore the potential of human beings to not only adapt themselves to, but also rehabilitate from, such severe conditions. This artistic survey of the works of eleven artists under the title “Un-Forming” attempts to (re)connect people with their organic surroundings, as well as with the diversity and changeability of others. For this project, ‘water’ has been chosen as the major theme due to its highly flexible, fluid, flowing, and shape-shifting characteristics.
“Un-Forming” extrapolates the notion of fluidity borrowed from the symbol of water to the concepts of thinking, emotion, and remembrance. Several artists featured in this exhibition utilize water as their starting point in exploring sustainability and culture, as well as the connection between individuals and other people, society, and environment. Their main task is reminding us of the important role of humans as but one category of habitants in our global community and natural world. With the impact and guidance of the artworks, viewers may ponder the position of themselves and others as contributors to the tackling of the issue of transformation of nature, no matter the background from which they originate: social activists, artists, or members of the general population. Another message conveyed in this show relates to the realization that human beings possess an impressive capacity for resilience in the face of environmental changes and catastrophes, despite extreme difficulties.
The artists represented in “Un-Forming” utilize various strategies in presenting their ‘water’-related messages. Some employ their preferred techniques and materials in an artistic way to illuminate the issues and ties between culture and natural surroundings. Others utilize contemporary and/or mixed media techniques to posit ideas about our complex social structures. Others still arrange their works in an attempt to launch their viewers into exercises of sensory experience. Regardless of material and method, the curation of all pieces exhibited in this show is based on the objective of reflecting the unique, individual perspective of each artist, as well as relating to two major discourses, those of ‘change’ and ‘self-adjustment’.
Writer: Pattara Danutra