Last night I went to the opening reception for Merry-Go-Round: an adventure with recycled materials, a solo show by Ithaca artist Elisabeth Gross Marks at the State of the Art Gallery . Elisabeth uses recycled materials such as the Styrofoam used in shipping, spools, tubes, paper, wood, egg cartons, bottles--almost anything that no longer has a use to its owner in the original form. She then transforms these items by painting them in bright colors and constructing them in enticing visual patterns. Here is an example:
In REFLECTED MOTIONS, Elisabeth says, "wind wheels are mounted on wood that is covered with colorful papers. Mirrors reflect part of the wheels, which can be turned by the viewer. They create a kaleidoscope of color and movement." This piece is made of wood, wheels, and paper, and is 39.5" by 32" by 4".
Here are a couple more, though I neglected to jot down the names:
I think Elisabeth's art may be perfect for our times, when we are all realizing the necessity of a "green consciousness." She takes what would become waste, glutting our landfills, and transforms it into a beauty that is especially environmentally responsible these days.
Some may complain that her art is not "archival" in the sense that it will last forever, but what truly does? None of us are archival, and our planet is threatened with its own deterioration, thanks to us. Elisabeth's art makes us aware of this fragility at the same time it engages us with delight and beauty.
On Wednesday, June 18 at 7 pm at the gallery there will be a dance performance by Maren Waldman in conjunction with the exhibition, with a discussion by Elisabeth to follow. Check out more work by Elisabeth on her website at www.brilliantcolorsegm.com or at the State of the Art website at SOAG.org/ .
