Exploring the Intersection of Consciousness, Language, and the Natural World

The latest exhibit at the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art in Napa's Carneros region, "M is for Water," delves into the intricate relationship between human consciousness and language. Curated by San Francisco-based artist Isabelle Sorrell, the show brings together a diverse group of 11 artists whose works explore the origins of language and its connection to our understanding of the material world.

Unraveling the Mysteries of Elemental Materiality

Decoding the Language of Water and Mother

The exhibition "M is for Water" examines the limits of "elemental materiality," probing the roots of language where the different meanings of "water" and "mother" begin to diverge. Sorrell's curatorial vision challenges visitors to rethink the relationship between consciousness and language, inviting them to consider a "sort of ecology of the mind" that may inspire a deeper understanding of environmental ethics and materialism.The letter "M," believed to be one of the first letters of the Phoenician alphabet, has an intriguing history. Its antecedent can be found in the Egyptian hieroglyph describing "water," and its evolution is intertwined with its mirror image, "W." The exhibition explores how words with a common etymology can convey meanings that reveal the source of life in nature and humans alike. As Sorrell states, "There is no life without water, there is no child without mother."

Diverse Artistic Perspectives on Elemental Materiality

The exhibition features a diverse array of artists whose works delve into the concept of elemental materiality. Shiva Ahmadi, an Iranian-American artist based in the Bay Area, uses a variety of mediums, including painting, sculpture, and animation, to tell stories that combine luminous colors and mystical beings with violent imagery, drawing attention to global issues such as migration, war, and brutality against marginalized peoples.Mari Andrews, known for her delicate, haiku-like sculptures, combines collected natural objects like seeds, leaves, moss, and stones with linear man-made materials, such as metal wire, to create three-dimensional drawings that explore the intersection of the natural and the artificial.Paul Kos, a leading member of the Bay Area Conceptual Art movement since the 1960s, is best known for sculptural installations that incorporate video, sound, and interactivity. His work, which has been the subject of major retrospectives, challenges the boundaries between art and the viewer's experience.

Exploring the Complexities of the Human Condition

The exhibition also features the work of the late Hung Liu, a renowned contemporary artist known for her powerful paintings based primarily on historical Chinese photographs and installations addressing the racial and cultural complexities she witnessed upon immigrating to the United States.Cheryl Meeker, a visual artist based in San Francisco, explores the fundamentals of sustenance in our environmentally destabilized world through a range of mediums, from photography to installation, drawing, and social sculpture. Her ongoing activism with the housing and climate justice movements informs her approach.Susan Middleton, an artist, photographer, author, and educator, specializes in the portraiture of rare and endangered animals, plants, sites, and cultures, highlighting the fragility of the natural world. Her work has been exhibited and published worldwide and is held in the permanent collections of prestigious institutions.

Blurring the Boundaries of Art and Nature

The exhibition also includes the work of Gay Outlaw, an American artist working in sculpture, photography, and printmaking, whose pieces explore the interplay between the natural and the artificial. J. John Priola's photography and Theodora Varnay Jones' two-dimensional and three-dimensional works further expand the exhibition's exploration of the relationship between consciousness, language, and the material world.Wanxin Zhang, a Chinese-American sculptor based in San Francisco, contributes his large-scale ceramic figures, formless ceramic structures, and bronze pieces, which have been showcased in various international competitions and biennales, adding another dimension to the exhibition's examination of the intersection of the human and the natural.

Experiencing the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art

The di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, where the "M is for Water" exhibition is on display, is a unique and multifaceted art center and nature preserve. Situated on 217 acres in the Carneros region, the center boasts two large art galleries, a lake, birding opportunities, walking trails with vineyard views, outdoor sculptures, and picnic grounds. Beyond the current exhibition, the center maintains a permanent collection of notable works by artists with ties to the Bay Area from the mid-20th century to the early 2000s.The opening reception on Saturday will welcome di Rosa patrons and the public, offering an opportunity to engage with the artists and explore the exhibition. Additionally, the center will host an artist panel discussion on July 13, providing visitors with a deeper understanding of the exhibition's themes and the artists' creative processes.