eidola press release

EIDOLA AT ANCHOR November 2014
For immediate release:
eidola at Anchor Art Space
Anchor Art Space is pleased to present eidola, a
solo exhibition of new work by Rachel Van Pelt, on
view from October 31st to November 23rd.
The exhibition title is taken from the ancient
Greek word eidolon, which has two meanings: 1.) an
apparition; and, 2.) the image of an ideal. For eidola,
the artist has rethought, remixed, and remolded
homages to invisible spiritual ideals, using a broad
range of religious artifacts as templates. Through
drawings, paintings, installation and sculpture, she
abstracts the formats of sacred geometries, shrines,
Christian icons, hindu murtis, and folk remedies into
new and novel forms.
The installation piece Iconostasis animalia are twin
columns of bone bricolage, foraged from the
skeletons of deer, sheep, whale, seal, and mink, and
set in fragrant yellow powder that smells of
frankincense and turmeric. The piece takes
inspiration from the iconostasis of Eastern Orthodox
churches, a wall which stands between the nave and
the holy of holies, and acts as an interface between
the spiritual and physical realms.
In the Ekphrasis drawings, the artist re-imagines
icon paintings as abstracted and organic sacred
geometries honoring powerful female deities from a
range of cultures. In dusky lavender and chocolate
hues, the drawings are built up with pastels,
powdered roots, and herbal dyes.
Anchor Art Space
216 Commercial Ave., Anacortes, WA
www.anchorartspace.org
Opening reception:
Friday November 7th, 6-9pm
On view: October 31st- November 23rd,
12-5pm Fridays thru Sundays
Contact: Julie Bishop, Director
tel: 360.755.3140
email: [email protected]
Rachel Van Pelt is currently based in Washington
State. She has exhibited both nationally and
internationally, been an artist in residence in Peru,
California, and New York, curated two exhibitions,
and completed her MFA in 2012 at Syracuse
University in New York. Many of the works for eidola
are in development, and you can check out the
progress of Van Pelt’s work on her blog at:
www.rachelvanpelt.net.
Anchor Art Space is a non-profit, artist-run
organization that promotes education in the arts
through exhibitions, cultural events, workshops and
community-based projects. Anchor is committed to
bringing quality programming to a local and
The emphasis on female power is unmistakable
regional audience.
in Van Pelt’s work. In In you is a swarm of thousands,
The public is cordially invited to meet the artist
dozens of tiny, hand-sculpted clay vessels brim full of
at
the
opening reception, to be held at Anchor Art
an elixir of menstrual fluid and sacred resins.
Space
in Anacortes from 6 to 9 pm on Friday,
Similarly, in Lussi:Lucy, the artist considers the
November
7th. The exhibition will remain open
folktales of two Scandinavian spirits by creating
throughout the month of November, Fridays
shrines in the women’s honor.
through Sundays, 12-5pm.
Rachel Van Pelt is a
painter and multimedia artist based
in the San Juan
Islands in
Washington State.
L: A still from video
documentation of
Van Pelt’s
performance Pyre
for Anna.
R:Anti-Fecundity
Philter. Burned and
pulverized coon
dong, mandrake
root, black
tourmaline, quartz
crystal, jasmine
flowers, benzoin,
cinnamon bark.
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