Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Heaven Hell and whatever's In Between


Visitors to the fantastic American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, MD are well aware of the orgy of creativity that can be sparked by the death of someone close to even the most non-artistic person. [Oh, okay...you caught me. You might know this even if you haven’t made the pilgrimage to the AVAM yet. But you’ve got to get down there...promise me!] That same pulsing energy in the hands of a lifelong artist can sometimes generate work that pushes out beyond the norm. It sounds as if Highwire Gallery has some of this work on display in their upcoming exhibition: Heaven, Hell and Original Sin.

Fiber artists may find the work of Philly-based fiber artist Melissa Maddonni Haims (creator of the Heaven and Hell portions of the show) especially interesting. She’s been working feverishly with yarn (knitting, crocheting, stitching) since her mother died 2 years ago, creating a personal version of heaven and hell. Much of her “Heaven” is specific – organic, unconventional sculptures memorializing people who have died. Her backroom Hell apparently evokes Dante-esque imagery including damned inhabitants and towering terrains. The middle gallery (Original Sin?) represents a visual dialogue between The Grimm Sisters, aka artists Rochelle Marcus Dinkin and Rachel Isaac, are on display.

The Opening Reception takes place during Philadelphia’s next First Friday event: November 6, from 5 – 9 pm and runs through November 29. Highwire Gallery is located at 2040 Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia.

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