Allison Maria Rodriguez’s solo exhibit serves as the backdrop to an upcoming panel discussion on art and the environment. Photo credit: Tory Corless.
Quickening the Dust takes time to sink in. The current exhibition on display at the Dorchester Art Project, Quickening the Dust features video art by artist-in-residence Allison Maria Rodriguez. Her moving collages layer shots of religious rituals being acted out by the artist over satellite images of hurricanes moving across Cuba, with cherry blossoms falling peacefully over the entire scene. As the images cycle through, the viewer considers climate change, religious piety, and the performance of gender roles alongside each other. Rodriguez softly suggests what comes of disconnection, and her exhibition deserves a visit and reflection.
But what comes of this art? On Thursday, February 15th, viewers can move their reflection into a discussion. The Dorchester Art Project is hosting a panel discussion of local artists whose work is focused on environmental issues. They will discuss what centers their environmental work and personal challenges. The following artists will be present in the discussion:
- Lani Asuncion: Explores the sociopolitics of community with video, sculpture, performance, and digital storytelling. Her work is influenced by isolationism of island life, militarism, and assimilation associated with colonization and the commodification of a place through tourism.
- Resa Blatman: Depicts the contradictory nature of humankind’s relationship to the natural world. Her artwork suggests a fragile environment and the contradictory nature of humankind’s relationship to the natural world.
- Gretjen Helene: Incorporates poetry and written word, interviews and presentations to detailed photos that capture the essence of a scene.
- Faith Johnson: Explores collective consciousness and daydreams through guided interactions with her art installations. Her work sparks both individual and collective imagination.
- Andi Sutton: Focuses on issues of the ecology and sustainability. Her projects incorporate food, agriculture, television and street intervention, video, performance, and installation. She is also a member of the art collective Plotform, whose projects activate human engagement with Boston’s local ecologies.
- Allison Maria Rodriguez: Depicts issues such as climate change, tourism exploitation, species extinction, and the human participation in multimedia art projects. Explores how human connection (or lack thereof) exacerbates these issues as current artist-in-residence at the Dorchester Art Project.
The panel will feature an interactive art piece from 6 – 6:30 by Faith Johnson, followed by a discussion and Q&A among the artists. The Dorchester Art Project is located at 1486 Dorchester Ave in Boston, right across from the Fields Corner T stop on the red line. The show will run from 6 – 8:30pm. Check the event listing for more details.
