ELIZA WAPNER // SEPTEMBER 2017
My art explores the physical representation of the space between fragility and strength; it is this state of in-between that fascinates me. As a womxn, I often feel like I am required to live in this state- never dominating and taking over but being forced to smile, never wavering, and never complaining about the constant, under-the table-subordination to which we are often subjected. I extend the metaphor of in-between to the materials I use and my artistic process. Whether it is exploring lived-in spaces that are in-between abandonment and destruction, or creating installations in gallery spaces which call on viewers to notice the intricacies in texture, shape, and material, I ask viewers to examine the way that they live in relation to the objects they use, themselves, and the world around them. I use mainly textiles and handiwork processes because they have rich social and political histories. Textiles are often perceived as part of the domestic sphere of “womxns work,” and yet almost everyone all over the globe interacts with them on an hourly basis. Cloth is truly the material of the people; we wear it, sleep in it, use it for warmth, to clean, the list goes on. By using these materials in my work, I attempt to relate parts of our shared story while asking questions about the society we live in both personally and politically. In this way, I bring viewers into the many ambiguities we experience daily.
I am also fascinated by methods of mass production and the subsequent products that fill our lives. In the USA we are so disconnected from making, from creation, we thus use products and dispose of them without thought. As an artist primarily working in textiles, I am often taken aback when my peers don’t know in the slightest how their shirt is made and at my own ignorance to how any of the objects I use daily are made or where they come from. We often don’t realize that shirts come from plants or animals, we just see them as disconnected objects. Companies work hard to separate the dirt from the vegetable, the animal from the sliced meat, and the sweater from the sheep. I find this separation and what happens between growth and product particularly intriguing.
I graduated in 2016 with a BFA from Syracuse University in Studio Arts focusing on sculpture, textiles, fashion, and industrial design. This course of study provided me with a broad skill set in artistic concepts, design, and execution. I also participated in a foundation program at Slade School of Fine Art in London, England. Slade expanded my fundamental ideas about conceptual art. Since graduation, I have had a month-long artist residency at Art Farm in Marquette, Nebraska where I explored the iconic midwestern landscape, cultivation, and the culture surrounding genetically modified corn. This past May and June, I was an artist-in-residence at Shangyuan Art Museum in Beijing, China. There I explored themes of medicinal healing through natural dyes and contemplative knot tying. I exhibited my work at a dual exhibition at the museum in June. I am headed back to Shandong Wudi, China at the end of September to build a commissioned permanent sculptural piece for the Earth Gallery in an upcoming exhibition.
Please contact for prices and commissions.
My art explores the physical representation of the space between fragility and strength; it is this state of in-between that fascinates me. As a womxn, I often feel like I am required to live in this state- never dominating and taking over but being forced to smile, never wavering, and never complaining about the constant, under-the table-subordination to which we are often subjected. I extend the metaphor of in-between to the materials I use and my artistic process. Whether it is exploring lived-in spaces that are in-between abandonment and destruction, or creating installations in gallery spaces which call on viewers to notice the intricacies in texture, shape, and material, I ask viewers to examine the way that they live in relation to the objects they use, themselves, and the world around them. I use mainly textiles and handiwork processes because they have rich social and political histories. Textiles are often perceived as part of the domestic sphere of “womxns work,” and yet almost everyone all over the globe interacts with them on an hourly basis. Cloth is truly the material of the people; we wear it, sleep in it, use it for warmth, to clean, the list goes on. By using these materials in my work, I attempt to relate parts of our shared story while asking questions about the society we live in both personally and politically. In this way, I bring viewers into the many ambiguities we experience daily.
I am also fascinated by methods of mass production and the subsequent products that fill our lives. In the USA we are so disconnected from making, from creation, we thus use products and dispose of them without thought. As an artist primarily working in textiles, I am often taken aback when my peers don’t know in the slightest how their shirt is made and at my own ignorance to how any of the objects I use daily are made or where they come from. We often don’t realize that shirts come from plants or animals, we just see them as disconnected objects. Companies work hard to separate the dirt from the vegetable, the animal from the sliced meat, and the sweater from the sheep. I find this separation and what happens between growth and product particularly intriguing.
I graduated in 2016 with a BFA from Syracuse University in Studio Arts focusing on sculpture, textiles, fashion, and industrial design. This course of study provided me with a broad skill set in artistic concepts, design, and execution. I also participated in a foundation program at Slade School of Fine Art in London, England. Slade expanded my fundamental ideas about conceptual art. Since graduation, I have had a month-long artist residency at Art Farm in Marquette, Nebraska where I explored the iconic midwestern landscape, cultivation, and the culture surrounding genetically modified corn. This past May and June, I was an artist-in-residence at Shangyuan Art Museum in Beijing, China. There I explored themes of medicinal healing through natural dyes and contemplative knot tying. I exhibited my work at a dual exhibition at the museum in June. I am headed back to Shandong Wudi, China at the end of September to build a commissioned permanent sculptural piece for the Earth Gallery in an upcoming exhibition.
Please contact for prices and commissions.