Cell Gallery @ Gallery 1313
In this time of enforced isolation, like many others, I have observed opportunities for in-person conversation relentlessly being limited, curtailed, denied. Human beings crave the exchange of meaningful dialogue, the give and take of ideas, combined with the closeness and immediacy that online conversations cannot provide. But beyond the everyday exchange of thoughts and information, conversations can also be unspoken and internal. The portraits selected for this exhibition provide the viewer with ample subject matter for dialogue, with topics ranging from environmental crises, homelessness, ageing, and the mystery of creativity. Each portrait has its own narrative, and provides an opportunity for silent conversations.
My fascination with portraiture is motivated by the story I see etched on the faces of my subjects. The lines and marks that develop over time are revelations in themselves. The medium I have chosen for my portraits is somewhat unusual; I take advantage of the sculptural qualities of cheesecloth to suggest the texture of human hair, a beard, the woven fabric of a garment, the creases and lines borne of worry and laughter.
Mary Pal is a Toronto fibre artist best known for her cheesecloth portraiture, artworks made with sculpted cheesecloth stitched to a textile backing, a process she has modified over the past 15 years. The resulting portraits are meticulously detailed and exquisitely textural.