Mixed Feelings
Lisa Myers Bulmash
December 4 - January 31
As my practice has evolved, so have my feelings about life in contemporary America.
This exhibition tracks the emotional impetus for these collected works, ranging from outrage to defiance to a sense of connection to place. All but one piece was completed
after the COVID-19 pandemic; the one created before the pandemic is included as a contrast to the post-pandemic volatility.
On one end of the spectrum lies the defiant stance captured in “Let Them Choke.” This piece was created as a protest against outside pressure to shrink oneself to make
others more comfortable.
Situated at the other end of the spectrum is “I Do Not Weep at the World.” This assemblage was born out of a need to believe in joy during politically volatile times. Joy
is a more complex emotion than simple happiness, and requires more effort to reach, just as one has to exert oneself against an oyster to reach the pearl.
I believe this exhibition is visual, physical proof that I contain multitudes. Frequently, Black people in general — and artists in particular — are represented in the dominant
culture as being one-dimensional. I am pushing back on that narrative with each distinct collage, assemblage, and altered book.
This exhibition tracks the emotional impetus for these collected works, ranging from outrage to defiance to a sense of connection to place. All but one piece was completed
after the COVID-19 pandemic; the one created before the pandemic is included as a contrast to the post-pandemic volatility.
On one end of the spectrum lies the defiant stance captured in “Let Them Choke.” This piece was created as a protest against outside pressure to shrink oneself to make
others more comfortable.
Situated at the other end of the spectrum is “I Do Not Weep at the World.” This assemblage was born out of a need to believe in joy during politically volatile times. Joy
is a more complex emotion than simple happiness, and requires more effort to reach, just as one has to exert oneself against an oyster to reach the pearl.
I believe this exhibition is visual, physical proof that I contain multitudes. Frequently, Black people in general — and artists in particular — are represented in the dominant
culture as being one-dimensional. I am pushing back on that narrative with each distinct collage, assemblage, and altered book.
