A WINTER FOLK ART SHOW
Jessica Goldfinch
December 3, 2010 - January 2, 2011
Opening Reception: Friday, December 3rd; 8-11 PM
Jessica Goldfinch was exposed to unconventional worldviews from a very early age. From her elementary school years at the counter-culture Free School in New Orleans through her graduate studies at the University of New Orleans, Jessica focused on studying world ideologies and creatively incorporating them into her art. Jessica’s artistic curiosity has led her to travel to places as diverse as Nicaragua, Indonesia, and central India, and she frequently incorporates both iconographic elements and an Asian sense of balance in her work.
"Many religious myths have parallel storylines and meaning, and are thought to have the same historical point of origin," explains Goldfinch. To explore this complex nature of religion, the Holy Card series collapses religious concept and imagery into one ideal, incorporating iconography from the Egyptian bird god Horus to Michelangelo’s Pietà, as well as other religious signifiers such as the Christian cross, the veil of Muslim faith, and the HinduHer series humanizes the Divine and repudiates the Nicene Creed, the cornerstone Christian beliefs codified in the fourth century. Goldfinch depicts religious imagery in an organic, humanist sense that more truthfully fits our needs and concerns in present time, rather than relying upon a model created over 1,400 years ago.
These works are meant to investigate the commonalities of humanity and to dissect the global clash of cultures and values present in our world today. Although the works illustrate the mystery and beauty of religion, they also are intended to be ironic and secular—an attempt to humanize the concept of “god.”
Contact the Gallery Director for availability and purchase info: (323) 666-7667