Press Release
A year of loss, exalted connections, sadness, and technological love. Multidisciplinary artist Carrie Beth Waghorn's first-ever solo exhibition A Year in Brooklyn explores themes of extreme isolation and connectedness through the lens of a sole spectator.
“This past year has certainly pushed me out of my comfort zone, so creatively I wanted to capture all sides of that experience: the ugly, lonely, uplifting, and poignant aspects of living during a pandemic,” says Waghorn. “After losing my entire family in the years prior to Covid, I sadly saw others face a similar loss. As the rest of the world struggled through quarantine, it felt as if my own inner isolation became more normalized. The way our lives lost human connectivity really resonated with me. In a way, this was incredibly freeing. I felt driven to play with forms, texture, and space in a completely novel way: anything that transcends paper felt adventurous and whimsical.”
For the show, Waghorn has created a number of works on paper, a common medium for the artist. However, she says: “The pieces I am most proud of are a little unconventional. There is a feminine figure made from ivory linen filled with fabric scraps to create an abstract form, the focus of which is softness and touch. I also plan to create colored resin models of antique frames, creating the illusion of glass artwork.”
“The same way I wanted to bust out of my house during Covid is sort of mimicked here,” she explains. “I wanted to bust out of what others saw and expected from me. The pieces are so drastically different from each other; in a way, that’s why I feel drawn to them. They all represent different sides of the same woman, the same human experience through different forms. I think above all else, my experience living in New York City during a pandemic revealed the extent to which finding comfort through touch and human connection is what truly sustains us all. A year in Brooklyn has shown me the unadulterated version of myself, the raw, lonely, tragic and beautiful side of what it truly means to be human.”
An opening celebration will be held at Meyer Vogl Gallery on Friday, August 6, from 5pm – 7pm (all are welcome!), and the show runs until August 27.
Here are the details at a glance:
A Year in Brooklyn: Carrie Beth Waghorn Solo Exhibition
August 6 – 27
Opening reception: Friday, August 6th, 5 pm to 7 pm
Meyer Vogl Gallery is located at 122 Meeting Street.
