Fragile Structures Monika Meler February 5 – March 7, 2015 Reception: February 5, 5-7pm
The artist writes: Fragile Structures examines fragility, the impermanence of memory, and
nostalgia. As an immigrant from Poland to the United States, I am interested in
the process of retaining memory, how memory changes over time, and how every
time we remember something, it becomes less like the actual thing and more like
the last memory we had of it. The images
that I use in my work are references to the objects, structures, and events
that have made the greatest impression on me, including my father’s elaborate
gardens, my mother’s rich textiles, and the architecture of Chicago.
The exhibit will feature prints, collages, and
paper-cuts. The media and techniques I
use allow me to connect materiality to concept.
Often made on semi-transparent, thin paper, my works delve into what
fragility means through the use of materials and images that feel and look
delicate. I am interested in how this appearance of fragility entices the
viewer to examine closer and develop compassion for the work.
"The Cathedral and The Circus," diffused relief print, 15" x 30".
"Untangle," hand-cut paper, relief print, 35" x 50”.