The photos from this show have been sitting in my hard drive for nearly a month! I felt kind of sad because I thought the show has been over, but thankfully, it’s going to be on display until the 5th of December. I really, really love this exhibit. I don’t think I’ve seen any works from these two artists, so it was a pleasant surprise.

(I Want You To Know. What I Am. is up at Mo_, in Bonifacio High Street. Gallery hours are 11am-8pm, everyday.)

Aesthetically, this is one of my favorite shows this year. I am a big fan of the tactility of each of the pieces. I’m definitely gravitate towards the mixture of textures, mediums, and materials—putting different things together is one of the things that I would like to be able to do with my own art.

It sounds so obnoxious to say, especially when I haven’t really written anything substantial about these pieces of art and what it means, but this show really collectively speaks to me. I think that because I am not really familiar with their work, and I don’t really know their history as artists, there is very little to say, other than I am attracted to the things that they make. (Yeah, knowing the context and histories are important.)

What I do know is that Elizabeth Newman is based in Melbourne and has been pretty prolific. She seems to work primarily with installations (what I’ve seen from her are gorgeous, quiet pieces; kind of woodsy and cozy, with a perfect balance between massive sheets of fabric and smaller pieces). There’s something a little understated about her work, which I really, really like. Maria Cruz’s work is a little bolder, more ornamental, adding touches that give the pieces a little more dimension. I don’t know if I am just being a know-it-all, but I think I can tell who did which parts, but I find it really interesting how easily they’ve merged both styles.

As always, I’m open to discourse, etc. if you had anything to say about these pieces. I’m really curious as to what you guys think about it. I’m really, really a big fan. I don’t know if it affects other people in the same manner, since it’s not “conventional” art.

Continue reading Maria Cruz & Elizabeth Newman: I Want You To Know. What I Am….