Reviewed by Meaghan Alfonso

NOV 17-MAR 31: Opulent Mobility 2017 – An Online Art Exhibit

Disability shouldn’t be a burden or something to look away from. Since 2009, Opulent Mobility’s unique exhibit started with the artwork of A. Laura Brody, a professional costume maker and designer. She first developed Opulent Mobility as a series of artworks before expanding in 2013. Opulent Mobility gives easy access to its audience by posting its exhibits online. And its sound clip descriptions make it incredibly accessible for people who have trouble seeing. For OM’s 2017 exhibit, 9 talented artists have contributed artwork inspired by the world of disability. All of them have created beautifully gorgeous pieces, but I do have some favorites that I will share with you today.

My first artist that I want to share is, of course, A. Laura Brody herself. She has created some inspiring work that represents what it means to have a disability in her own eyes. Her first piece shown is called “The Kali Walker“, and its made of an aluminum walker, re-purposed leather, and hardware. Kali, the Hindu Goddess of time and empowerment, is presented in front of the walker. Also a demon slayer, Kali is such a powerful symbol and embodies what it should mean to people who have a mobility problem. Brody quotes that, “Disability and aging are demonized in our culture as tragedy, weakness, and something to be feared. Kali in her walker represents a different truth—that time catches up to us all, and that strength and ferocity are not measured by physical ability.” The symbolism in this piece shows such wonderfulness and creates an uplifting feeling, that we shouldn’t be scared of the future– of what is to come when getting older.

Fang-Wei Hsu, one of my other favorites, is an illustrator and writer from Taiwan. Her piece, “Flamboyance New Life“, is very elegant yet fragile. Made from an abundance of materials (Aluminum crutch, ribbons, organza, feather, fringes, netting, gold and silver metals, Swarovski crystals, acrylic found objects, LED lights and battery), this piece shows her relationship with disability and her identity being a disabled person herself. Hsu says in her artist statement that, “Art making is not simply an internal conversation or emotional outlet, it conveys my perspectives of life” which I believe is true for most artists. Art mimics life and vice versa, so having pieces being created like Hsu’s is so inspiring to see.

Lastly, Katherine Sherwood’s “Maja“, is aesthetically pleasing and nostalgic in way. This piece is part of a series she has called Venuses of the Yelling Clinic, and painted on the linen backs of Art History reproductions made in 1950-60s. The linen backs are all tiled together, and she has painted a silhouette of a “maja”, so to speak, right on top of the linen backs. Using a yellow and black color palette, Sherwood has created a beautifully large scale painting that is hard to forget. Because it is not extensively detailed, you are able to retain the information given. It is a naked woman laying next to a cane. But who is this woman? Your mind starts to create some ideas of what she should look like, but either way she is beautiful.

The symbolism and creativity of each piece are so different from one another, yet the same. I respect Brody for creating an exhibit that might not be for everyone, but there is definitely a voice in it. I know that I have only talked about a few artists here today, but the the other talented artists are definitely one to check out! Disabled or not, you will enjoy talking a look at these lovely pieces and maybe take something else “home” with you other than the art.

NOV 17-MAR 31: Opulent Mobility 2017 – An Online Art Exhibit

article by Amanda Alfonso for ArtsEarth

Interiors could be called a multi-faceted exhibit reflecting the artist herself. Within two separate rooms at the Frye Art Museum, Amie Siegel – a New York-based artist – displays a solo exhibition of films. Entering the first room, you witness a 16mm film projection of a woman roaming around multiple locations where she passes and stops to pose with sculptures. Polaroids are displayed with her next to each sculpture, smiling into the camera like a tourist. It’s an introduction to themes touched on in the following film projections Provenance (2013) and Fetish (2016).

It’s clear that the exhibit is mostly about objects and the value that we as art consumers, put on them. Provenance, to put it simply, shows us the process in which modern furniture comes to find a home – starting first with being stripped apart, then remade, then sold, then displayed like a piece of artwork itself. What’s most striking about the films are its subdued nature. There’s something affecting in the way Siegel uses dolly shots to show a piece of furniture’s final home – or contrasting them with their original location – cutting at one point from the bare frame of a couch, to sitting completed in a white-walled office. Provenance is shown in a series of projections so that the audience is aware of the process – and I definitely found myself fascinated by the idea of cultural value – and what we deem as valuable. In the last stage of Provenance, I was taken aback; Siegel shows the work you are witnessing in the moment, being auctioned off – and you’re suddenly made aware of your whole viewing.

Fetish touches on a similar subject and is probably more overt. The film shows a man in white protective gloves delicately dusting a series of miniature statues from different countries. He does it with such care and patience – and lasts close to twenty minutes to a half hour. Fetish has a slightly amusing and cheeky feeling to it, possibly because there seems to be a reference to the connection between valuable objects and the way women are seen in society. Siegel does a clever thing of cutting quickly to an old illustration of a woman being auctioned off. In the illustration, a man grips to her tightly to make sure she doesn’t run off – and you can see that the sleeve of her dress is falling from her shoulder. Just like the chair being stripped bare and remade to be housed in a place of luxury, it was a moment of both shock and revelation.

For fans of both art house films and multimedia arts, Amie Siegel’s work will expand your mind and surprise you in the subtlest way. While it might require a bit of patience for those not used to watching art films, it’s definitely worth the time. The Frye Art Museum is free and also includes a great house gallery of paintings owned and acquired by the museum founders Charles and Emma Frye.

• May 20-SEP 3: Amie Siegel: Interiors – Exhibition | Frye Art Museum