Inform(al)

Curated by Heather Weber

Exhibiting Artists: Lois Bielefeld, Vanessa Filley, Tanya Gill, Rita Grendze, Tulika Ludsariya, Katherine Lampert, Jill Lanza, Jennifer Mannebach, Yoonshin Park, Nirmal Raja, Marzena Ziejka

Water Street Studios

160 S. Water Street, Batavia, IL 60510

Oct 11th - Nov 4th, 2024

Exhibition statement

This exhibition presents work from Praxis—a collective of eleven women artists formed in 2019. No singular medium or style defines this group. Their work is represented, in part, through performance, fiber art, mixed media, found (or gifted) objects, natural materials, alternative painting processes, ceramics and collage. While not an exhaustive list, this eclectic use of materials offers inquiries into domestic labor, consumption, ritual, our relationship with each other and nature, repair and healing, memory, vulnerability, fragility, and perseverance. The very lack of an easily definable category with which to place their work is also what connects them. Since the 1960s, artists have increasingly opted to work with materials, processes, and content that challenge the traditional distinctions between high and low art. These women belong to a lineage of artists who reject the traditional, formal notions of art which have, historically, shaped the canon.

The artists were invited to explore the question “What informs your work?” In response, each selected an object—or a curated collection of objects—and provided a description explaining the significance. These objects range from academic and spiritual texts, artists’ books, photographs and digital stills to an abandoned sock, fossils, beehives, and eggs. Through these diverse items, a web of shared interests emerges, revealing common threads of inquiry. The numerous links between research, artworks, and artists form a tapestry of stories and experiences rather than a singular narrative. A constellation versus a star.

- Heather Weber, curator