440 Gallery is proud to present, Titanicae, a show of new work by artist Katharine Colona Hopkins. For her third solo show with the gallery, Hopkins has created an installation that explores the patterns and phenomena of organisms that survive in extreme environmental conditions. The show’s title refers to a bacteria found on wreckage from the Titanic, a species that has adapted to feed on the ship’s metal surface. The show opens Thursday, February 19th, with an artist reception on Friday, February 20th.
Hopkins began with the creation of small cups, crafted from paper pulp, which as singular objects are delicate and fragile. When combined with well over a thousand others, however, the effect points to the power that individual organisms can have when they form large collectives, as witnessed in Halomonas titanicae’s ability to consume a massive man-made ship. Individually painted in deep browns and vibrant blues, the cups create a sprawling mass across the gallery wall. On the opposite wall Hopkins plays with the idea of containment. When placed within the confines of a frame – pattern, form, and repetition pay homage to natural processes and organisms while highlighting a deeply engrained human need to control and contain.
This show marks a departure for Hopkins from representational painting and drawing. However, the themes of decay and renewal remain constant throughout her body of work. In her last show at the gallery, That Perfectly Arranged Mouth (2013), she exhibited paintings of dead animals, in vibrant unnatural colors. The effect was less grim than elegiac. Whereas Rite (2010) was an exploration of sacred spaces and featured an animated film of an imaginary underground passage.
Hopkins received an M.F.A. in Printmaking from Colorado State University, and a B.A. in Political Science from Colorado College. She has an Advanced Certificate in Art Education from Pratt Institute. She has exhibited extensively in the United States and her work is in private collections here and abroad. The show runs through March 22nd. Please visit the website for information on related events.
440 Gallery is located at 440 Sixth Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn, between 9th and 10th Streets, and is convenient to the F, G, and R subways. The gallery is open on Thursday and Friday, 4-7pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 11am – 7pm, or by appointment.
Website: www.440gallery.com
