Kluth / Smith
01.19 - 02.18.2017
Golden State
Mary Anne Kluth
Fleeting Shattered Continuous
Sarah A. Smith
ampersand international arts is pleased to present Golden State a solo show of work by Mary Anne Kluth.
Golden State features a human-scale installation based on a romanticized version of the Half Dome photo included as a desktop image for Apple’s Yosemite OS X. All of the pieces of are hand cut and painted, using Kluth's extensive archive of personal photographs of theme park landscapes.
The installation and accompanying collages are a study of California landscapes as a symbol of promise, a glowing Western destiny, that is as much a cultural construction as it is a natural place. Kluth makes visible several undercurrents, such as teleological hopes about technology saving the environment or human consciousness. "My collages, digital prints, and installations involve narrative and pop culture, and allude to the prevalence of collective fantasy in national identity." -Mary Anne Kluth
Mary Anne Kluth has exhibited widely in the Bay Area as well as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Portland, Seattle and Hong Kong. She has an MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and a BFA from the California College of Arts.
This exhibition is presented in tandem with Sarah A. Smith's show, Fleeting Shattered Continuous. Co-curated by Theodora Mauro and Tracy Wheeler of Satellite Of. Love.
Exhibition Dates:
January 19th - February 18th, 2017
Closing Reception:
Saturday February 18th
1pm-4pm
Gallery Hours:
Thursdays & Fridays
12pm-5pm
or by appointment
ampersand international arts is pleased to present Fleeting Shattered Continuous a solo show of work by Sarah A. Smith.
In Fleeting Shattered Continuous Sarah A. Smith employs properties such as fragility, erosion, and decay to examine the contradictions, tension and violence in political and economic structures. Exquisitely baroque technique paired with images of animals and nature, create emotionally charged narratives that question notions of preciousness, permanence and worth.
Using decorative methods more often used to create opulent, gilded interiors for the wealthy, Smith examines the conditions that support their privilege. "Imperialism, domination and hoarded wealth are ideas I seek to poke holes in. The symbols of power are rendered as fragile, breakable; with one kick all shatters." -Sarah A. Smith.
Belying the notion that lushness denotes abundance, for this exhibition Smith layers images, materials and techniques to create a fragmented narrative of irretrievable loss.
Sarah A. Smith has had two solo exhibitions at ampersand international arts, in 2004 and 2007. She was commissioned to create new work for the SFAC Grove Street Windows gallery in 2015. Her drawings and installations have been included in many Bay Area institutions and galleries, notably, The de Saisset Museum, Kala Art Institute, The Palo Alto Arts Center and Root Division. In 2006 she had a solo show at Southern Exposure and was awarded a residency at The Headlands Center for the Arts, Project Space. Her works are in many private collections including The Battery, San Francisco and 21c, Louisville, KY.
This exhibition is presented in tandem with Mary Anne Kluth's show, Golden State, co-curated by Theodora Mauro and Tracy Wheeler of Satellite Of. Love.