Contemporary art

Of Collective Consciousness

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When we think about humanity, we are bound to encounter a sense of polarity. On one end, there is isolation and a sense of belonging on the other. Colombian artist Mario Arroyave is the observer of these vast stream-of-consciousness thoughts, and his artwork tells you why it all matters. From how we dissect our conscious thoughts, to how we choose to live our daily lives, these aspects add to the human collective we see in Arroyave’s work and around us.

Style

Arroyave’s pieces have an ongoing range. They are constantly evolving with every project he works on. He can show you so many humans or no humans at all. It matters how they are being shown to you, and this is where perspective comes into play. Where he wants you to see them from, through perspectives and angles, whether it’s people or abstractions. If they are elevated, or you see them head-on, or if you don’t see anything at all just ethereal colors, those perspectives say something important about how we view people, time, and space.

It is all about that interaction with perspective, where your attention goes, and what you decide it’s saying to you. If it’s far, it shows a collective sentiment where your understanding needs to be broad, and if it’s closer it’s a more intimate, focused approach to the subject matter.

Arroyave explains his thought process:

My creative process is closely linked to the person I am at the moment of creating…My first projects were characterized by the absence of humans in the spaces I portrayed, at that time it was very difficult for me to interact with others and this was reflected in my work.

People appeared as part of a personal process of being more social and this was mixed with some physics books that I was reading at that time where I was beginning to understand that linear time is human fiction and that in the end there are only interactions, so I decided to work on that approach and create timeless spaces where all events occur in the same singularity, and thus I began to weave the timeline series.



Deeper Meaning

There is an individual outlook on Arroyave’s approach that allows him to morph into his environment and what he wants to portray at any given moment. Even though his individualistic view is represented in the piece by showing, say, a tunnel-like vision in Dissections of the infinite, he also portrays collective consciousness, where he shows how everything can affect everything else through connection like in Timeline – Stand Paddle. These pieces fill the space and they have an element of a continuum. Life goes on, waves in the ocean keep moving, and people move on and go on, as well as time, regardless. 

He explains:

As beings we are in continuous mutation, personally, I like to think of myself as a snake that sheds its skin from time to time and this has allowed me to live multiple lives in this life, so art appears as a manifestation of each one of them, which in its uniqueness understand a different language.


Concluding Musings

Arroyave leads us into a world that exists as a particle in the grand universe. One that is constantly changing its reality in order to evolve and survive. Humans need connection with humans and other living beings, and many times that gets lost in modern times. But humans also need a connection to themselves as beings within the grand scheme of life and universal power. That’s a strong message that allows us to have a broader perspective and understanding of what it is to be part of collective existence while still holding on to our individuality.

He states:

The human is an organism, we are all human. Unfortunately, not all of us understand ourselves as such, everyone gravitates to their ego, answering for themselves, for their family, their friends, and their homeland…. but all within a relatively small ring. We do not perceive ourselves as the collective entity that we really are, there are a number of fictions that separate us from each other, preventing us from flowing like human tissue. As controversial as the very concept of family sounds, it is one of the pillars of this dissociation, from there the first barrier that divides us as a society is gestated. At some point I read in Plato's Timaeus a vision of society in Atlantis and how they articulated it in a system where the family nucleus as we know it did not exist, the children did not generate a bond with their parents, in fact, they did not even know them and so everyone they were a big family. This vision of society as a unit still exists in some indigenous tribes around the planet.

But if the recent years have something to show, it is that the need for collective connection is an emotion we all crave to an extent. Arroyave shows us what happens when we do certain things and how that affects us now and later. When we choose to isolate, connect, or ignore. The results are reflections of human needs at the time, and it shows us that reality is always changing and we are the ones who are making it happen whether we realize it or not. 


For more about this artist, please visit his website. The interview was translated from Spanish.

Today’s poem reflects Mario’s understanding of time and space:

Black Space

BY ISHION HUTCHINSON

For Erna Brodber

Be ye my fictions; But her story.
— Richard Crashaw

I can bring a halo

into the night cave, quiet

with music (do not ask the music),

to her shaded there

in the moon; her fine spectacles

steam their pond rings;

her animal eyes fix

on the lintel of the door

as the wax owl glances back at me. I am her little cotton

tree the breeze combs

white into a final note,

her diminuendo poco a poco ...    

Moon-afro, myself

outpaces me

in wonder of her.

She goes off and I seep

under the black sprout

of her house, to rise

a salmon bell on the hill

dissolving mild cloud fractals,

without grief or malice.

The Human Experience

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Contemporary existence immerses humans in a fast-moving world and almost forces us to adapt. Unlike prior times, when life seemed to move at a slower pace. At least that’s the feeling that older photographs always give. When it comes to modern photography, capturing everyday life can also seem like a fleeting light of our individual existence, something that stems from the overwhelming amount of media we consume on a daily basis.

Richmond-based photographer, Riley Goodman, is making sure that his photographs don’t follow that fast-life cultural trend, and that we appreciate each moment instead. He has an affinity for capturing human existence with such rich stillness, and that technique shows us that getting comfortable in the now is actually a refreshing idea.


Goodman’s artistic journey began with his desire to pursue drawing and creative endeavors at an early age. Then, an admiration for photography and a shift in perspective led him to pursue a career in the field.


He explains:

“During my foundation freshman year at VCUarts I quickly discovered the storytelling abilities that photography could provide to my own practice. While I still enjoy other mediums like painting and drawing, I became fascinated with a way of communicating those mediums' evocations through the use of a camera. From there I turned a hobby into my main artistic practice. My first photobook, From Yonder Wooded Hill, was published this year, which was a great moment in feeling like I made the right decision in pursuing the medium.”

Style

Riley Goodman, Sundown at Poplar Vale.

Goodman’s photographs capture people, animals, places, and things that are in the right place at the right time. Even though the pieces have a sense of heightened thoughtfulness, each also portrays everything in its own natural light and habitat. Because the photographs are presented in this manner, they show us the authenticity of what we’re seeing.

That authenticity creates freedom for things to be accepted as they are and as they come. The softness of colors that highlight the lighter aspects of Goodman’s photographic technique is sometimes met with more masculine elements that bring out a ruggedness; thereby a connected approach within the photograph and toward the viewer. Take, for instance, Cruel Summer and Remembrances on a Parlor Wall, where the softness is hardened by other elements. With his work, he aims to broaden the spectator’s viewpoint of what the art experience can represent.

He explains:

“I would say my work is becoming sharper and has begun to push the boundaries of how photography can be presented in a gallery context. We are so used to images existing solely in a digital sphere at this point that I constantly challenge myself to present something other than just a photograph in a gallery context. How can we alter the presentation that makes that viewing experience go beyond something someone could just view on their phone. Recently I presented a work for a group show where I brought in a large tree stump with a photograph displayed behind this sculptural object along with another on the flat top of the stump itself. In this way, I am not only storytelling in my subject matter, but also in the story that develops through the viewer's experience with the work in a gallery context. Additionally, I find myself working on a larger scale in my image-making. More complex still lifes and portrait set-ups allow for greater narrative arcs.”


A Deeper Insight

Riley Goodman, The Angel of Hollywood.

The photographs Goodman takes show us the complexities that come with existence. There’s beauty, nature, experience, and vulnerability. But these aspects are only partially exposed in each piece, in a revealing manner. It causes us to wonder about what they’re telling us about the person, the time of day, or how the setting makes us feel. It is up to the viewer to uncover the mystery of things or to leave things be through acceptance. The works reveal a sense of truth in a naked sense, but still, leave some things to be uncovered. Such is the case in his photographs, Sundown at Poplar Vale and Forever At The Windows, where you want to know more about the place and time and what happened next. Many of the works touch on contemporary existence and how it is related to where we came from, another time, other ways of living, and history in general. They are gentle reminders of ourselves and our ancestors.

Goodman touches on his range of subject matter:

“Beyond being a photographer I have a background as a historian so much of my work begins as research and the exploration of our collective pasts. I am largely fascinated by folklore and the uncanny— so subject matter could range from a ghost story I read about and desire to visually communicate to a methodology of amateur photography used a hundred years ago that I work to employ contemporarily.”

 

Concluding Musings

Riley Goodman, Forever At The Windows.

Goodman has a clear understanding of what it means to portray the contemporary world and its connection to the past. There is a sense of remembrance of other times in his style. But what it shows is that photographs don’t have to be fleeting moments, but present ones, where everything exists just as it is without the need to fast-forward or change. Maybe if we look at our existence in the same way, we can appreciate where we are now in life in a bigger way.


He explains:

“There are so many great photographers working today. Lately, I've found myself drawn to the work of Paul Guilmoth, and Ian Bates, along with the photographic duo, Antone Dolezal & Laura Shipley. I always return to artists like Edward Hopper who've been providing inspiration since I was a child. Beyond specific artists, I've been very inspired lately by a wild combination of antique shooting galleries, Victorian mourning practices, Southern folk belief, the American Civil War, and East Coastal culture.”

His work provides an understanding of how places, people, and things have shaped and continue to shape who we are today, individually. There’s a history that is asking to be acknowledged and that allows for that stillness and curiosity we see in the work.


He shares more about his creative process:

“I find myself drawn to still lifes, draping fabric, and notions of life even when a human or animal is not present. I often illustrate the precursor or aftermath of an event but never the event itself, and try to take the common or mundane and turn the dial slightly to create a subtle unease that makes the viewer do a double take.”


It is fascinating to see glimpses of the connected influence of things through a photograph of flowers or the way the sunlight illuminates the side of a silhouette. It is through those characteristics that we learn so much about what is being revealed and how much we’re willing to learn about the living experience, by opening our minds to it and including ourselves in it during our own personal explorations. The photos make you appreciate life and daily moments even more.

For more on this artist’s work, please visit his website.

Today’s poem goes hand-in-hand with Riley’s understanding of the human experience and its relation to history:


America

BY WALT WHITMAN

Centre of equal daughters, equal sons,

All, all alike endear’d, grown, ungrown, young or old,

Strong, ample, fair, enduring, capable, rich,

Perennial with the Earth, with Freedom, Law and Love,

A grand, sane, towering, seated Mother,

Chair’d in the adamant of Time.

Forces Bound to Coexist

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When artists collaborate, it is like a world of creative possibilities. But what is a remarkable task in this process is the ability to work well together while developing ideas that will spark something new individually, and then collectively. For artists Nikki Brugnoli and Anne C. Smith, this task has become part of their professional lives, and though each artist individually showcases work, when the two collaborate, it becomes second nature to their overall process.

Brugnoli remarks on the close relationship the two of them share:

“It has always been a part of the widening conversations about our practices, our lives, our families, and our friendship - to connect in this way. [The past] 10 years have been fruitful and we've evolved from initially an academic mentorship to be very close friends; sisters,” she says.

The two first met at George Mason University in 2012, when Smith was a graduate student in the MFA program and Brugnoli was teaching and advising. Over time, they developed a bond discussing art, poetry, motherhood, and academia. They formed a deep friendship that would eventually evolve into that of collaborative creators.

Inspired Thoughts

Nikki Brugnoli, Horizon Lost, 2020.

When you look at Brugnoli and Smith’s works, you can’t help to notice the differences in their styles. Brugnoli works with screen printing, layers, mylar, and figurative aesthetics to her imagery, while Smith’s work tends to be more abstract in context. Both artists merge well from their distinct perspectives thanks to their deeper understanding of their inner visions and each other. They both produce beautiful work that converges to show similarities in subtle ways but still remains solely that one artist’s voice. 

Brugnoli’s work touches on metaphorical layers of depth, as one finds when viewing it, it is like uncovering pages upon pages of a bigger work, and when you find the gist, it is even more perplexing. As for Smith, her work is highly detailed as she plays with scale and ensures you take your time with every part of her art pieces; a fascinating way to appreciate the work itself. Both artists have a strong approach to their work, and it is that intentionality in technique and detail that allows for a beautiful coexistence when presenting their work together.

Brugnoli speaks on how important it is for her and Smith to get in touch with the physical aspects of their practices, and how this serves a greater purpose. “I think what stands out for us the most is our approach to materials. We are both very physical "makers" and we like drawing, as a practice, but also discuss drawing as a metaphor to larger ideas about our lives - like memory and ritual,” she says.

The differences in aesthetics between the two artists allow each to voice their opinions, consider new viewpoints and possibly take those in and implement them. They see this practice as essential to their collaboration style, which is open and communicative, and in turn, allows them to broaden their perspective, technique, and process.

Smith remarks on this experience, “Nikki always asked questions that took me aback because they were so direct and challenging! I really valued that, and our conversations helped sharpen my focus in the studio. I was also inspired by Nikki's resourcefulness and that she provided a sort of model for incorporating family and studio practice.”

Process Matters

Anne C. Smith, Sift, 2018. Artwork from the Forces Fleeting exhibit.

The behind-the-scenes collaboration between Brugnoli and Smith is what makes their work even more compelling. It takes time, effort, and communication to be able to work well with someone, but that’s not all. There also needs to be a sense of understanding of one another’s styles and a support system that holds space for creative freedom, where both artists feel comfortable creating and being expressive. In Forces Fleeting, their recent exhibit at the Athenaeum Gallery in Old Town Alexandria, Brugnoli and Smith both showcased dark color pieces that were contrasted by the materials each artist used, with Brugnoli using mylar, and Smith using ink-stained linen. Both sets of works allowed for the artistic elements in every piece to show the artist’s style and skillful technique in her own way.

For Brugnoli, the creative process can be transformative and helpful in accomplishing goals:

My practice is geared more toward process - a very clear process of incubation, ideation, and transformation that tends to be very immediate and intense. I tend to procrastinate and wait until only a small window of time remains to actually do the physical work, while months and months, even years, can go into the preparation and writing. 

 Anne and I decided in the beginning that we would document, via text message, email, etc our emerging conversations, specifically about Forces Fleeting, and use that as a springboard. All of the planning was very intentional. I think we both benefit from clear deadlines and the high expectations we have for one another to create our best and strongest work. There was never any question that the outcome of Forces Fleeting would only deepen our respect for one another as artists and friends. 

Nikki Brugnoli, Copper and Gold, 2021. Artwork from the Forces Fleeting exhibit.

In Forces Fleeting, both artists played into their differences and bond at the same time. They intermixed their personal process and individual experiences into an expanding universe, where their work created insight into one another in its own way. Brugnoli touched on thoughts of personal moments, time, and loss, in her layered technique, where dark and shimmering shades complemented her screenprinting. While Smith allowed for specific places and spaces to serve as a platform for her stance on how we live our lives as we move, drive, and explore from one place to another, and how all this adds to one individual, complex experience.

Smith remarks on this:

In our work, we've found connections between what we think about: landscape, place, and home. And also in our practices that fuel: walking, silkscreening, and drawing, for example. We've wanted to collaborate on a show for a long time, and we finally get to do that with this show, Forces Fleeting, at the Athenaeum. The work in that show touches on those overlapping themes, each with our own perspective and experience brought to the work. We're both working mostly monochromatically in these pieces, with areas of deep, dense black ink -- I think we both find poetry in those shadowed areas. By showing together, our work can have some of those conversations visually that Nikki and I have had in the studio over the years. 

 

Concluding Musings

Anne C. Smith, Point of Longing, 2020.

Successful collaboration is a fascinating thing, and in art even more so. What we see in Brugnoli and Smith’s work is the interconnectedness of two distinct forces in the art field that allow for growth and support in one another’s voices, own challenges, and sense of direction. 

Brugnoli points out, “For me, what reveals the strength of a successful collaboration is the shape of trust exchanged and created between two makers.” It’s true that this aspect can really build on the momentum of making things happen in a positive direction, and these two artists know exactly how to make that dynamic work for their individual and collective styles.

For Smith, there is an added intuitive exercise that allows for the creative success of their work together. She says, “There's a shared goal of wanting to see the other person realize their most gut-felt vision in a way that sings. With that kind of foundation, the outcome of the work grows naturally into something we're both proud of.”

Collaborative creativity can only flourish in places where it’s fostered. These places are found where even a challenge is seen as an opportunity to learn more about the process and how to better create together. That level of understanding is what Brugnoli and Smith share, and that synchronicity allows for a successful collaboration that can stand the test of time.

Today’s poem reflects on the blossoming collaboration between these two artists:

FROM THE SUN AND HER FLOWERS BY RUPI KAUR

it isn’t blood that makes you my sister

it’s how you understand my heart

as though you carry it

in your body