Denise Tierney: Recollection

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Denise Tierney, "Blue Shawl," 2021

diptych, oil on cradled wood panel, 40" x 24"

Opening reception May 6, 6:00 - 8:00 pm. Artist talk 6:30 pm

Recollection is defined as the action or power of recalling to mind. We are shaped, in part, from recollections of our past (schooling, upbringing, exposures…) and we may rely on our recollections to make sense of our present. This exhibition draws on the use of figurative painting as a means of exploring the experiences of being human and our search for the touchstones that give life meaning.

The works in Recollection are rooted in identity, ritual and nostalgia. A birthday party, for example, addresses all three themes. Wearing party hats, eating festive food, singing a special song, blowing out candles and opening presents are rituals that we have performed for generations to annually honour an individual within a circle of family and friends. Rituals such as these give form to the essential transitions of life. They organize time, provide structure and reinforce community.

Most of the exhibition was completed during a global pandemic. The pandemic did not directly inspire the work but its presence certainly impacted the results. Certain pandemic themes became apparent: A need for comfort which was often sought by remembering how things used to be, a lost sense of time and a departure of ritual. The painting, Fever Dream, contains references to the passing of time and a sense that nothing is permanent. It also alludes to the passivity of our bodies despite our frenetic minds.

The pandemic seems to have accelerated the disappearance of ritual. Will we, as a society, lose the symbolic powers that bind us together? Is our global modern world still anchored by tradition and culture? Does preserving traditional culture bring value to society? Is there any room for nostalgia, or is that an outdated concept/word? These are some of the questions being considered in Recollection.