‘Reflections’ Annual Juried Exhibition
Natasha Jabre, Taylor Kennedy, Michèle LaRose, Mathew Nagendran and Paula Whyle – 2020
Modern Fuel’s 2020 Annual Juried Exhibition, ‘Reflections’ uses portraiture and abstraction to explore the global and intimate relationships we share with one another, as well as how these connections mould and shape our sense of self.
Both the beauty and pain of being human is expressed through these works, as each artist reveals their own ways of processing our existence. Here, interdependence is shown as the means of making it through life’s highs and lows, becoming the supporting pillar of the exhibition.
Matthew Nagendran and Natasha Jabre express the inner turmoil that arises when becoming the main caretaker of another individual. Their pieces express elements of both the real and surreal in order to mirror the beauty and frustration that comes with looking after a loved one.
Taylor Kennedy and Paula Whyle also display abstracted figures in their work, but step away from sharing personal relationships. Instead they use bold colour, line and shape to express the unrest that currently resides in so many of us. Kennedy specifically comments on the current racial tension in America amidst the Black Lives Matter movement. Whyle’s portraits contradict one another by conveying tranquility and uneasiness.
Michèle LaRose pulls these pieces together using pure colour and form as a means of communication. She asks, how do we decipher the complicated world around us? How do we attempt to relate to things we cannot understand? Tracing these thought patterns may be the first step in seeking harmony with each other and ultimately with ourselves.
Our current climate has caused deep change in the way we live. While anxiety and uncertainty about the future continues to climb, it is important we find ways to obtain peace and fulfillment in the face of adversity. Many of us are asking what makes life meaningful, while reexamining social/personal values and goals. While finding these answers can be daunting, it is important to remember that humanity is stronger and wiser when joined together.
‘Reflections’ Annual Juried Exhibition was on display in the Window Gallery from September 12, 2020 to October 31, 2020.
