SWAMP LORE :: Diane Elmeer
“The word swamp conjures up for me the most primitive of space(s). The original birthplace of humans, the “swamp” is a mythical environment of witches and scaly creatures not quite human, a home to many slimy reptilian forms, mosquitoes, decomposing bodies, bugs, butterflies, and small to gigantic snails. It is fecund, noisy, silent. These paintings were made to convey the beauty I see in all of it. My observations of events I have witnessed in many walks through swamp-like land plus a little imagination ignited by folk lore, movies, novels, are the focus of this small body of work.” -Diane Elmeer
MISTY KRYSTALS :: Collaborative Exhibition
Tempus Projects presents Misty Krystals, a collaborative exhibition of recent works by John Byrd, Ben Galaday, and Roxanne Jackson, in our project space gallery. This collaboration is inspired by mystical curiosities, the macabre, and the sea.
ANTHEM :: Wendy Babcox
The inspiration for this exhibition is a series of Polaroid photographs taken in 1998 of the artist laughing in close proximity to the camera. An exploration of notions of the unruly woman and the subversive power of women’s laughter, Babcox reimagines this imagery in the context of large-scale, heavily saturated prints. Inspired also by the writings of Hélène Cixous, and Mikail Bahktin’s notions of the carnivalesque, Babcox explores how women’s laughter proposes a potent form of resistance, subversion and provocation. A recently naturalized American citizen, Babcox considers the potential for a woman’s voice and its possible allegiances. The images hold the latent voice of their protagonist, but also perhaps a rallying cry or a rousing tune in solidarity. They are a joyful expression of impropriety, mischief and unity and suggest voices raised in conspiratorial harmony. And the beat goes on…