"I work with elements of architecture and objects of home décor to expose the weight of our actions in being hospitable. In our attempt to make our homes and ourselves welcoming to others, our intentions to make a guest feel special through gift giving or home enhancement generates a series of moves in the game of social hierarchies. My interest lies in how these gestures can become a threat to those receiving or enjoying. A garden border accentuates life's growth, but keeps it contained and marks possession of one's territory. Small soaps and tiny hand towels offer a fresh invitation to a guest but warn that their welcome has an expiration date. An entrance is also an exit. The body of work in In Irons manifests the unspoken fears surrounding what we hide or expose to one another within these symbolic boundaries. By using the language of craft, I establish a tight bond to what we inherit and hold onto for longevity and comfort. Mystical elements in the work such as castle gates and ghosts aid in materializing the physic pain we release through our experience of separation and loss in the growth of these relationships, and in our struggle to move forward. "
-- Trish Tillman
September 10 - October 16, 2010
Opening Reception: Friday, September 10, 7-9pm
Exhibiting for the first time with Civilian, Brooklyn-based Trish Tillman will install site-specific sculpture and new cutpaper
works, including architectural elements that both threaten and welcome guests. According to the artist, "when a boat is in irons it is
pointing directly into the wind, or is too close to the wind to
make headway. Therefore, it struggles or is completely
stopped dead in the water. Elements of my work possess
this ambition of wanting to move forward but with constant
barriers or reminders of loss."
