Courtney If you know Jody Alexander, or have seen her trailer, you may have a sense of how special and layered her work is. If you haven’t had a chance to see it, follow me into Preparing for Evanescence, her most recent installation. I had a chance to see this show on a recent weeknight when the gallery was open late. Orange street lights created a soft amber glow in the fog as Jody and I crossed the dark parking lot towards the gallery. As we made our way I realized that this foggy night was the perfect night to see this show, a work about the things one prepares before disappearing.
You enter into a space that’s been transformed into a home. The softly colored walls reveal tea stained patterns upon closer inspection. Small handmade books, glass bottles encased in layers of stained felt and cotton, and trinkets entombed in a thin layer of gauze are carefully placed around the room. A dining room table, complete with a lace tablecloth and a pair of embroidered chairs, hides small treasures. On the table’s surface there is a crooked line of personal affects shrouded in a thin layer of cloth. The cloth is neatly stitched, like torn skin recently sutured. These objects, like scars, hold memories just visible through shape and touch. From room to room we wandered, gently touching padded books wrapped in a dozen layers of cloth, and peering into new corners to discover hidden objects.
There is so much to explore and discover in this show, so be sure to hurry over. Preparing for Evanescence will disappear on December 7th, 2012.