Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Sydney Cross, Clemson University Alumni Distinguished Professor of Art Emerita, "Perpetual/Surrender" Solo Exhibit at Riverworks and Benson Campus Galleries


The natural world is multilayered and complex. Humankind has always struggled to understand nature and has made progress in decoding some of its systems. Unfortunately, in many cases, that decoding has given us the power to alter nature but not the foresight to understand how our alterations might affect nature's interdependencies and complexity. As technology provides us with more and more knowledge, we struggle to recognize our place in nature and how to value the natural world and each other. Sydney Cross's studio practice challenges us to examine these values. She states, "The title Perpetual/Surrender refers to the 'perpetual' narrative involved with the issue of how we value and 'surrender' refers to our collective acquiescence."

Syd mirrors the complexity of her subjects by layering images collected from photographs of natural history dioramas and mass media with hand-drawn images, all recorded in hand-print processes. She confronts headlines by using mass media images to provoke questions about our cultural and political values. According to Syd, "The work represented here addresses my concerns for nature and all living beings, how we treat one another, and the values from which we operate. Some methods for presenting these ideas use images of animals, news events, and media sources." Perpetual/Surrender is visually stunning - that visual enticement seduces us, allowing us to consider the thought-provoking or even confrontational narratives. Because this exhibition is so extensive, it is hung in two locations, Riverworks Gallery in downtown Greenville and the Benson Campus Galleries in Taylors.

Cross has recently retired after sharing her passion and expertise as an Alumni Distinguished Professor of Art at Clemson University. Her students are successful printmakers and teachers across the United States. Syd's prints are collected and exhibited both nationally and internationally.


RIVERWORKS Gallery is operated by and for the faculty and students of the Department of Visual Arts at Greenville Technical College. RIVERWORKS Gallery is located at 300 River Street, Suite 202, along the scenic Reedy River in downtown Greenville, SC. The Benson Campus Galleries are located at 2522 Locust Hill Road in Taylors, SC.

Dates
Benson Campus: August 22 - October 17
RIVERWORKS: August 26 - October 7

Hours 
Benson Campus: 9am - 5pm Monday - Friday
RIVERWORKS: 1-6pm Thursday - Sunday 

Artist's Reception 
RIVERWORKS: First Friday, September 2, 6-9pm

Gallery Talk 
Benson Campus: TBA
RIVERWORKS: First Friday, September 2 at 7pm

For more information, call:
Fleming Markel, Director                   
RIVERWORKS Gallery                         
(864) 271-0679 or email                     
fleming.markel@gvltec.edu                 
or visit  www.gvltec.edu/dva/