Excavations
Exhibition on view October 5, 2019 - January 4, 2020
Opening Reception: Saturday Oct. 12 | 5 - 7 PM
Artist Talk: Saturday, November 9 | 5 PM
Excavations at Gallery 200 of the Silos features the work of Ellen Ray and Erik Hagen. The two artists share an interest in human interaction with and impact on the Earth and create work dealing with different aspects of that relationship. Though they speak to the same topic, their work is distinct from each other in a way that they hope presents a compelling and visually exciting exhibition.
Ellen Ray works on paper and specially prepared burlap. Layering both wet and dry media, she straddles the space between painting and drawing and allows the viewer a glimpse at her process. The works in Excavations deal with Earth memory and Human memory, showing a shared history, and often reference strata on both a physical and conscious level.
Erik Hagen references geologic processes like sedimentation, fossils, and erosion to evoke 4.5 billion years of earth-history. The ‘Fossils’ series represent artifacts that might appear in some future epoch. Children’s toys become a broader metaphor for humanity’s relatively short tenure on planet Earth, while evoking the plastic-age of the 20th and 21st centuries. Weathered artifacts pulled from Houston’s bayous, post-Harvey, are a reminder of the transience and ephemerality of humanity itself.
Artist Talk: Ellen Ray and Erik Hagen, moderated by Anna Tahinci, phD : Saturday, November 9 at 5:00pm
Anna Tahinci is a noted art historian and is currently the art history chair of the Glassell School of Art, MFAH. Anna has intense passion for and deep knowledge of Art and Art History. The discussion is sure to be entertaining and informative!
All exhibitions are free and open to the public Monday - Saturday 9 AM - 5 PM.
The Silos at Sawyer Yards
1502 Sawyer St, Houston, TX 77007