ailanthus:Artist Statement

Ailanthus
Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts, Xi’an , China
Centre d’exposition l’imagier, Alymer, Quebec
Martha Street Studio Gallery, Winnipeg,

Artist Statement
“ In this body of work, I investigate concepts of survival using the motif of the Ailanthus tree, which originated in China and is noted for its tenacious ability to survive. The scarred trunk in its resilience symbolizes the potential to overcome adversity and trauma. My intent is to provoke recognition of the interdependence of resilience and endurance and at the same time to arouse sensitivity to the vulnerability of our existence.” In the words of Salman Rushdie “life’s bruises demythologize us all.”

At the beginning of the 21st century, cultures from around the world attest through their art to the traumas we are experiencing at multiple levels of our being. Themes of endurance and adaptability inherent to the survival of the resilient Ailanthus tree are metaphorically rooted in the design and materiality of these prints. For example, the Styrofoam material used in the creation of the image marks and scars easily, yet is non-biodegradable, just as the symbolic Ailanthus tree is scarred yet endures. The tree has both strength and flexibility as do the plastic pigments used in the transfer of the image. A common building material, which is most often used as a vapor barrier to protect and shelter a building and its occupants from the elements, is imposed on to become the support for the metaphorical image of the Ailanthus tree.

Contrasting the larger print format, this exhibition also includes editions of miniature print images. Historically the accessibility and multiplicity of the smaller print format was a potent educational force for the general populace. The small icons of survival included in the exhibition evoke a spirit of the earliest printmaker ’s intentions.