It's that time of the year when we reflect on many different aspects of our world. We look at the relationships we have made, the places we have traveled, as well as the impact the previous year has had on our lives. Artists have a beautiful way of doing this organically through their work, which allows viewers access to a multitude of memories, thought patterns and emotions. Wassaic Project's "No Misery Can Tell, No Word of Farewell" is a group show at Maxon Mill which dives into varying threads of thoughts while pulling from each artist's own life and experience.
Walking into the space, you are met by an open room where the walls are monumentally draped with chalk drawings from floor to ceiling. This work by Richard Barlow speaks to the threatened water reserves in the Hudson Valley. Taking in the work from a distance, you can see the ripples in the water as it moves around the stones with the reflection of the towering trees.
Moving into the second room of the exhibit, Clint Baclawski illuminates the mill with his work that incorporates photography, light and space. Each piece can be looked at in many different angles, revealing something new. "Growing up as an identical twin, and viewing my world through the lens of similarity or sameness, thematically, it has been central to my work," Baclawski stated. "Whether the photographic image is flipped vertically, horizontally, or presented on mirrored plexiglass, you can expect a duality to be exposed."
Christina Hunt Woods assemblages are made from discarded alcohol cans that she found around various bodies of water. At first glance, the works seem celebratory, almost party streamer-like, but when you get close and see what the work is made out of, the mood of the piece shifts. Similar to Barlows work, when you view it from afar you see something completely different than when admiring the work up close. There are blue lines that are created with each piece that appear when you view the work from a distance. Those lines represent the waterways where Woods found the objects to make the work.
Other exhibiting artists in the show include Esy Casey, Raul De Lara, Eric Garcia, Ambrus Gero, Kate Johnson, Cate Pasquarelli, Lauren Phillips, and Farwah Rizvi. Each of these artists create with different techniques and mediums portraying deep concepts while using humor and whimsy. This invites the viewer into the different worlds, allowing each person to feel welcome and not alienated from any subject.
Visitors can explore the work throughout seven floors, and be transported to a new experience while finding common themes throughout. "No Misery Can Tell, No Word of Farewell," which was curated by Eve Biddle, Bowie Zunino, Jeff Barnett-Winsby, and Will Hutnick, is open Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. through March 18.
If you go:
What: "No Misery Can Tell, No Word of Farewell"
When: Open through March 18
Hours: Saturday, noon to 5 p.m.
Where: Wassaic Project, 37 Furnace Bank Road, Wassaic