JODI HAYS + KATRIN SCHNABL | Everso | April 2 – May 13, 2023
One might be tempted to see the recent work of Jodi Hays as endeavoring to aestheticize the abject remainders of our consumer culture. Although the work elevates what we discard to levels far beyond their humble origins, Hays’ collages and paintings advance so many other, more evocative avenues of inquiry. The history of Modernism holds an important place in this artist’s practice as do agricultural geographies and the long history of handmade and handcraft so rooted in the American South. This work is complex and layered—literally. Its strength comes from the skill and intellect of a focused maker. Hays is deeply tied to her personal territories and finds inspiration in how the physical, emotional and psychological domain she inhabits roots her as an artist and thinker.
There is a much lengthier essay to write regarding how rural agricultural landscapes and the traditions of sewing, quilting and repairing are reflected in Hays’ work. These are discussed more fully in past texts about the work, and, for the sake of brevity, will only be touched on here. Those influences are both overt and subtle forces that fuel Hays’ creative engine. The desire to place Hays and her practice within an ever-lengthening historical artery of abstract painting seems the most appropriate and necessary right now. Let’s absorb and revel in the drama and delight that each work offers. Then we can excavate all the compelling references that take us deeper into her practice. Extending any encounter with Hays’ paintings results in great rewards and a wonderfully elevated sense of where and how we are in the world.
The suite of new sculptural work by Katrin Schnabl featured in Everso is referred to collectively as Chronic. We encounter sculpture incorporating steel, wire, fabric and found objects as media for exploring ideas that embody and reflect on the interplay of inner conflicts and outer projections.
Chronic started as the working title of a series of sculptural installations with soft coverings. These sensory environments may resemble garments, or even function as such, yet their primary purpose is to translate, decode and speak to energetic and emotional processes, imbalances and disruptions. Chronic invisible illness is the starting point for this body of work. Schnabl’s recent research has been on invisible disability and the psychosocial efforts of stepping into the world. Additionally, she is researching sensory processing, molecular sciences, brain research, personal beliefs, cultural stigma and forms of healing.
