March 6 - June 6, 2020
A site-specific installation by local sculptor Laura Latimer, with an artist reception on Friday, March 6, 6-10 pm. The exhibition will be on view through April 19 during public gallery hours, Thursday-Saturday, noon-6 pm.
In the early 1900s, Oenothera lamarckiana, the evening primrose, was central to the debate over the cause of evolution and its subsequent mutations. The discussion has now shifted to whether or not humanity is playing the primary role in genetic erosion through over-exploitation, habitat destruction, introduction of invasive species, and genetically modifying crops. As we lose indigenous plants to extinction, will new varieties that arise find means to flourish?
This sculptural exhibition, situated in the former industrial space of Dimension’s gallery, contemplates how future mutants might survive in fragmented ecosystems. Demolition rubble collected onsite and reclaimed materials from area construction projects serve as the foundation for a fanciful, botanically-inspired habitat that offers hope for biological regeneration in the wake of continuous urban renewal cycles, and possibly, a blueprint of recovery from the most hostile of circumstances.
About the Artist:
Laura Latimer creates sculpture and art installations as a means to investigate humanity’s growing footprint on the planet and the complexities of our co-existence with the natural world. After years employed in publishing and marketing, Laura returned to school and received her BFA from Texas State University in 2005. Having seen corporate waste first-hand, early large-scale works were built from discarded packaging to address industry, consumerism, and disposability. As the discussion of our planet’s future broadens, she has become more focused on good environmental stewardship within her studio practice, and regularly incorporates collected, salvaged, and unconventional materials into her work.
Laura has constructed site-specific artworks at Clamp Light Gallery in San Antonio, Box 13 ArtSpace in Houston, Austin City Hall, and multiple Central Texas venues. Her work has also been exhibited at Illinois State Museum, Fort Wayne Museum of Art in Indiana, and regionally in both non-profit and commercial art spaces. Most recently, she presented her first Fellowship Artist solo exhibition at Dimension Gallery and completed a visual artist residency in Washington State.
Opening: March 6, 2020 | 6–10 pm
979 Springdale #99
Austin, 78702 Texas
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