Opening – May 2nd – 2015 @ 7:00 p.m.
An Installation by Brenna Beirne
Descent
Visual artist Brenna Beirne, originally from New York City has shown her work across the U.S. and in Europe. She currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. Beirne’s work employs several media (wax, plaster, fired porcelain, ink, lead, glass, photography and video) to convey her fascination with human behavior. Her installations engage the viewer by juxtaposing phenomena found in the natural world with those that exist in the social and cultural sphere. Her work is concerned with reproduction, potential energy in both nature and culture, and the widely varied sources that help to inform personal identity.
“Quelea, Quelea” is from a series of works entitled Natural Invaders which draws similarities between impaired mental states and species considered to be “pests.” “Quelea, Quelea” associates this avian agricultural “pest” with debilitating anxiety and loss of control.
“Descent” is a sculptural installation focused on systems in nature, not entirely predictable through known scientific methods. “Descent” addresses both human population dynamics, and oscillations in seed production seen in the forest during mast years. The cast porcelain seed pods are made mute by the rigidity of their material and the absence of color, and yet they convey a sense of potential energy.
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