Shannon Wardroper | The Beholders' Share

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Shannon Wardroper, “The Beholders' Share,” 2024

(courtesy of Salt Spring Arts)

Opening Reception: Friday, Aug 30 | 6-8pm

Shannon Wardroper — The Beholders' Share

The exhibition is inspired by and named after the phrase The Beholders’ Share. This art term describes how past personal history shapes our experience of art, whether that be enjoyment, elation, bewilderment, disgust, or boredom. The idea that a viewer brings personal history and meaning to a work, that the brain indeed finishes the work, that this interplay makes all art a collaboration between artist and audience, seems akin to life itself. Communication, collaboration, and respect between us, others, and our natural environment are vital to thrive.

The sculptural fortune-teller game structure highlights this engagement in the choice versus chance interactive nature of the game, especially the impact of our choices on the environment. Our lives are a selection of both intentional and random events that we physically and emotionally participate in and assign meaning to as we move forward. Today, neuroscience shows how our experiences shape our perception, as the brain uses the past to make sense of the outside world. This can be either a benefit or a liability depending on our personal history and awareness. Adaptability and perspective, not might, are in fact the desirable traits when we speak of Darwin’s often misunderstood “survival of the fittest.”

The layered and detailed imagery of flora and fauna—a celebration of the earth’s lush and colorful environmental diversity—is contrasted with images relating to degradation and disruption—pipelines, fishnets, ocean warming data, and viruses. Youth will be the most impacted by our choices, or lack thereof. This is represented, almost tragically, by the fortune-teller game they themselves make and play.

Will we listen and solve the most pressing environmental questions or leave all to chance? Here is an opportunity to reflect on the future and what answers could be written within the folds of these breathing sculptures.

Technique.

The last two years her work has shifted to increasingly larger 3-D origami inspired silk forms in keeping with the increase in global warming. Wax resist dying is used on either screen-printed silk (3-D folded sculptures) or on 300 lb watercolor paper (2-D work) using Acid dye and ancient Japanese kimono dying techniques. Both are comprised of many layers of screen-printing and dying using wax resist work. In the case of the sculptural fortune teller pieces, machine and hand embroidery, applique and free form stitching are also used. The silk is interfaced and bonded onto a stiff substrate to facilitate an origami like 3-D form.

Chalk pastel drawing using various levels of transparency/opacity is applied as a final layer in the work on paper.

Artist Talk: Sunday, Sept 1 | 6-8pm