Donna Flax
Star Narratives: No beginning and no end
June 24 - July 7, 2016
Opening reception: Friday, June 24, 8 - 10 pm
When I started painting night skies in 2008, I was interested in both the science of the cosmos and the mystical quality of the study of the stars. I was struck by the way astronomers write about the stars and celestial events and their tendency to describe much of that science in human, relational, and spiritual terms. Whether comparing the development of stars to life stages in humans or celebrating the effect that one star has on another just by being present, I found their description of the dynamics of the cosmos inspiring. I came to understand that when two stars are close to each other the possibilities become infinite. Just knowing that a seemingly random encounter in the sky can change a star’s trajectory for the course of its life felt both frightening and oddly comforting. This led me to be curious about the way the dialectical nature of celestial relationships is represented in the complexity of human relating, as we struggle to reconcile opposing forces of order and randomness and opposing desires for connection and autonomy. Every mark I made in these paintings challenged me to be present and aware of the relational effect that small dot had on the whole image and the marks around it. The process of making these paintings is a spiritual practice and a way to explore and express the importance of being present.
