An exhibition curated by Carol Blank

The exhibition features the works of Rene Chamizo, Tom Corn, Kazuko, Onnie Millar, Joan Monastero, Lloyd Oxendine, Lethia Robertson, and Nancy Wells. These artists work with a variety of natural fibers and materials to create symbolic works that remind us of our relationships with the earth and the gifts it yields.

Native American artist, Lloyd Oxendine confronts his feelings of being removed from nature, as an urban dweller; Oxendine reclaims his relationship with the earth by accepting and using the natural elements that are readily found in the city if one is discerning and open.

Rene Chamizo resonates with the historical significance of creating baskets, traditional objects that invoke human experiences throughout the world. He values using materials such as reed and rattan that grow plentifully, and that are still being used to meet the domestic needs of many different peoples. His own works are neither functional nor traditional. They reflect his spiritual yearning and are responsive to the rhythms and patterns of contemporary life.

All of the works in this exhibition engage the viewer in a reconsideration of their immediate surroundings, and encourages them to see between the cracks and beneath the layers of contemporary urban society to its foundation. The earth and its by-products are ever present-sometimes straining to be acknowledged by a society that has become oblivious to its surroundings. Return to the Earth: Spirit and Memory encourages each of us to recall our spiritual past, by learning how to see and affirm harmony in our daily lives.

• Checklist of Works ...
  

Some of the artists participating in the exhibition (clockwise from left): Nancy Wells, Rene Chamizo, Joan Monastero, Onie Millar, and Thom Corn.

Photo Credits: © Eddie Paylor / PhotoGraphix, tel. (718) 230-5033