Art Wed Nov 04 2009

Deborah Maris Lader at Uncommon Ground

On Thursday November 5th the Uncommon Ground at 1401 W Devon, in Edgewater, will officially unveil their new exhibit. On display until February 1st, this exhibit features the work of the director of the Chicago Printmakers Collaborative, Deborah Maris Lader. Don't be fooled by the whole printmaking thing, the actual amount of prints in the show are fairly scarce, the bulk of the work are described as mixed media photographic paintings, this just means she uses an array of mediums which involves photography to create the work.

This show is, for a number of reasons, very successful. One reason I think it is successful is that the work compliments the atmosphere. You don't want to be overwhelmed with color, imagery and content while trying to enjoy a Roasted Beet Salad. Not to say that the work is vacant of any of these but one great aspect of Deborah's work is its delicate nature. Deborah's work sits on the wall with muted colors, that offer up a sense of familiarity; this allows us to feel calm in their presence. Another reason I feel this show is a success is its approachability. The surface of the work has a distressed quality which asks of the viewer a little more attention, but it accomplishes this in a very delicate manner.

This show is also, although it is a bit odd to say this, but, autumnal. Maybe it is the bird imagery or the colors, but the work seems to relish in the crisp cool days of autumn in Chicago. Deborah says one of the many themes of her work is "how we must appreciate the moment before it vanishes" and like Autumn in Chicago, this show will be gone before you know it, so get out and celebrate the opening on Thursday.

— MartinJon / Comments (0)