JENELL TAYLOR
Staff Writer
From 3 to 5 p.m. today in the Chautauqua Visual Arts School of Art Gallery, two-week artists-in-residence will present a pop-up exhibition intended to share a glimpse into the work they have created over the course of their time on the grounds.
The exhibition, curated by residents Jency Sekaran and Marina Christy and titled “Progress Shots,” offers viewers a look into the work of artists-in-residence from all across the U.S. and gives Chautauquans an opportunity to speak with the artists, ask them questions and even purchase their original pieces.
The pop-up is presented in conjunction with CVA’s resident open studios, which will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. today in the North and South wing studios of the Art Quad.
“Progress Shots” features residents’ finished and unfinished works that “show the labor of love — or hate — that is involved to create original art,” Sekaran said.
As a self-directed program, the two-week artist residency offers artists a personal, uninterrupted and explorative creative experience in which they can engage in deep focus to practice their craft and further develop their processes.
The program’s second week presents residents with personalized feedback and constructive criticism through studio visits led by arts professionals, meant to foster meaningful connections with curators, gallerists and others involved in the art world.
Working with mixed media forms such as embroidery, ceramics, printmaking and textiles, Sekaran explores identity and womanhood through her perspective as a first-generation Indian American.
Her work addresses “repressed memories, trauma and social commentary,” by depicting figures “poised to break free from cultural and societal pressures,” she said in her artist statement.
“My art aims to start conversations about the diverse identities experienced by children of immigrants and people of color,” she said.
Christy creates abstract paintings using pigment powder, acrylic and charcoal to investigate transformation, impermanence and how natural processes like erosion and gravity shape both landscape and personal experience.
In her artist statement, she said the materials she uses bring natural processes like sedimentation and separation to the surface, allowing nature to shape the surface before she intervenes.
“Each piece is a record of movement — a movement where materials acted, reacted and transformed in time,” she said in her statement.
For Sekaran, participating in the residency has afforded her time and space to hone her craft, as well as peers to explore ideas with.
“Having the ability to shut off outside noise and truly focus on our craft has been invaluable,” Sekaran said. She said the opportunity to bounce ideas off her fellow residents and collaborate creatively “has been a gift.”
