cee at mjh gallery (united arts council)
elizabeth roetzel + scott renk: march 5-26

Artist Statement: Elizabeth Roetzel

Women are extraordinary beings--I've always been grateful and happy that I was born female. Over the past few decades I've witnessed a gradual elevation in the status of women. In most instances, at least in more enlightened cultures, women are now considered to be equal in worth to men. In recent years, however, I've observed a resurgence in the objectification of women--it seems that too often women are valued by how they look on the outside rather than who they are on the inside.

The term Portals describes a point of entry or a gateway to another place. In this case it speaks of looking beyond a woman's outer self in order to contemplate her essence. Each Portal reveals to the viewer a facet of womanhood. Many references are made to "Mother Nature" and the powerful emotional qualities we associate with her myriad creations, whether flora or fauna. Other references deal with historical, political, or social issues.

Using a collage process, I construct a feminine shape to symbolize woman and assemble elements that are often associated with femininity: luxury fabrics from bedding and clothing, jewelry, fine china, and flowers, to name a few. The use of collage to create these images acts as a metaphor for the belief that we are the sum of all of our influences and experiences.

Perhaps these Portals will encourage all of us to look inside the women we know and encounter, remembering that within each one of use is a realm worth exploring, respecting, and celebrating.

Artist Statement: Scott Renk

Spirit Shines are created in memory of my family. My mother found letters dating back to the 1700's in my great aunt's attic, from my ancestors living in Slovakia and Hungary. Ideas emerged from these old letters, igniting these Spirit Shrines informed by the Dia De Los Muertos tradition. In these shrines, I combine letters with photos and objects from the lives of my grandmother, grandfather, great uncles and aunts.

Some of these personal objects include a Purple Heart for my great uncle Tommy who was killed in a torpedo attack in World War II, crosses from our Catholic upbringing, keys from old homes, souvenirs from trips, pictures of paintings my grandmother created, rings, Slovakian Bible pages, and death notices. The ceramic skulls I have created in the style of Dia de los Muertos are not meant to scare; rather, they are meant to celebrate the lives of my ancestors and portray the cycle of life and death in a joyous, fascinating pattern. Constructed inside bird cages, this structural form holds the memories and symbolizes the spirit coming and leaving this life.

Exhibition dates: March 5-26, 2010

Venue information: The MJH Gallery is located at the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County at 110 S. Blount Street in downtown Raleigh. The gallery is open to the public Monday-Friday 9am-5pm and is part of the First Friday gallery walk from 6-9pm on the first Friday of every month.

Click here to learn more about VAE's Community Exchange Exhibits.