The title PROVIDENCE means the protective care of Nature as a spiritual power and was inspired by the plant life crawling up the sides and covering the windows of the building where the exhibits were to be held. Being that the exhibition space were unoccupied residential apartments, we wanted to emphasize home, safety, and sanctuary and chose to display artwork that made that connection.
Each apartment focused on a particular theme. The first being snapshots of nature, featuring the photographs of Katie Niewodowski and Catalina Aranguren. The second apartment housed more work by Katie Niewodowski, mixed media drawings that focus on cellular work, complemented by Catalina Aranguren's macro snapshot of an orchid and Geraldine Gaine's wooden door carving. In the next room, a theater installation featuring the work of Ibn Sharif Shakoor, whose work focuses on empowering the youth through creativity. The last room featured photographs by Jennifer Brown, snapshots highlighting scenes of serenity found in the city. The third apartment housed more work by Catalina Aranguren and Geraldine Gaines, accompanied by the ceramics of Sidney Yavelle Acosta, the found object collages of Ellen Burnett, and the paintings and drawings of Diana Buitrago. What weaved this collection together is the quiet contemplation found in the human touch. Each work made by hands: capturing a moment, carving wood, pushing paint, alchemizing mundane objects, and creating form out of graphite. The fourth and final apartment culminated with the paintings and drawings of D. J. Flores, Athena Toledo, Citlati Cruz, Sidney Yavelle Acosta and the multi-media installation of Melida Rodas. All works formed a narrative speaking to the importance of preserving a connection to nature's cycles.
The intention of PROVIDENCE was to create spaces of sanctuary where visitors can feel safe, protected, and like they've come home. The results exceeded expectations, as many commented that they found themselves in a meditative state that elicited peace, harmony, and balance.
