Tuesday, March 29- Saturday, April 2, 2022
M-F 8-5 PM, Saturday 1-5 PM
The Carlos Gallery in the Visual Art Building
The Carlos Gallery in the Visual Art Building at University of the South is pleased to present Nest, an exhibition of mixed media installations by artist and Sewanee student Emma Jewell, C’22.
Emma Jewell invites viewers into an imagined world jam packed with planes and spaces of community, comfort, and hope. Taking inspiration from our world and its infinite complexities, these works acknowledge the overabundance of information coming from all directions. With all these swirling concerns about the state of our world, each piece serves as a blank slate on which the chaos of the mind is free to unfold. Feeling scatterbrained about global conditions is mimicked through the excessive variety of media used and the plethora of bold color present in each piece.
In this exhibition, Jewell explores the collective definition of home, communicating that home is both our man made dwellings and Earth. Through the use of scribbly gestural marks, a broad spectrum of intense color, and formal elements like shape, texture, and line, Jewell draws connections between the natural world and humankind to highlight the importance of cherishing this relationship. Repurposing found and recycled materials, Jewell mitigates a portion of her personal waste and comments on the anthropogenic practices that exploit our shared home, Earth.
Nest is a whistle blow to remind society what is common; it’s about communal space and mutual qualities. Simple shapes suggest the building blocks of life, reminding viewers of the intricate characteristics that are true for all living beings. Humans have a tendency to focus on differences rather than similarities, but without improving our relationships it is impossible to begin working on the planet in a meaningful way. A myriad of layers in each piece channel the reality that solving global issues is complicated and multifaceted. While most of these conflicts are outside the individual’s direct control, Nest demonstrates that artistic expression and the way we regard our collective home are two variables within one’s control. Approaching serious and timely matters, these works maintain a playful and nostalgic impression.
Emma Jewell was born in Little Rock, Arkansas and currently attends the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. Jewell received a Fellowship of the Arts from Sewanee, and in May of 2022 she will graduate with a BA in Art. In the Mountain Goat Journal’s February 2022 edition, Jewell was highlighted as the cover artist. Her works presented in the “Faces of Sewanee” exhibition were acquired by the University of the South for their private collection. Spending time in nature is Jewell’s most valued pastime, as much of her work is inspired by the vastness of our Earth and its infinite intricacies. Following graduation, Jewell will study abroad in Florence, Italy where she plans on studying art history and Italian.
