Mari Andrews is known for delicate, haiku-like sculptures that she has been making for the past 20 years. Her “three-dimensional drawings” combine collected natural objects like seeds, leaves, moss and stones with linear man made materials, such as metal wire. Many of the materials are found on the artist’s frequent nature walks around the San Francisco Bay Area and the Sierras. Many of Andrews’ works are small-scale and intimate worlds onto themselves, shown individually or in large groupings.
Over, Under, and Inside Out is an inquiry into natural and artistic elements. “The installation is a paring down of materials to a more essential level than I’ve used in the past,” states Andrews. “I’m investigating how to work with less embellishment, using substances for what they are and what their associations might suggest.” In this installation Andrews uses a variety of raw, basic elements including lead, steel, coal, willow, salt and sugar, and constructs ways to create new associations as well as common ones. Some of the works are a veritable encyclopedia of her studio elements and nature’s menagerie. Other works embody natural processes, and still others suggest transformation.
San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art
560 South First Street, San Jose, CA 95113
(408) 283-8155
Hours:
Tuesday-Friday: 10am-5pm
Saturday: 12pm-5pm
http://www.sjica.org/information.html
