ILENE SUNSHINE Beyond Words
ILENE SUNSHINE Beyond Words
January 18 - February 9
in the WINDOW. On view 24/7
Artist's Reception: Sunday January 30, 2-4pm
These “constructed” drawings are created by sandwiching fragments of plastic and other discards salvaged from the urban waste stream between heavy handmade cotton paper and a thin layer of translucent banana plant fiber. Sunshine then adds veils of acrylic aerosol color, emphasizing the metaphysical aspects of these mysterious pieces that are laced with illusions and symbolism. Constructed from quotidian scraps, they offer a mood of floating spiritualism, surrealist humor, and playful whimsy. In our present moment, when words fail us … what could be more wise than that?
"These constructed drawings--very physical to make--allow me to engage states and realms I'm unable to name.” - Ilene Sunshine
Ilene Sunshine is a New York City-based artist who uses an array of eclectic materials— leaves, plastic bags, discarded toys, scavenged tree branches— to explore the interface of nature and culture. Ranging from large-scale site projects to intimate drawings, her work has been exhibited widely in the U.S. and internationally— and is included in various collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum (London), and Memorial Sloane-Kettering Cancer Center (NYC). She has received fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, Dieu Donné Papermill, The Constance Saltonstall Foundation, The Ucross Foundation, and MacDowell, among other awards.