Ashley Eliza Williams | Primordial Field Notes

On view from November 5 through December 31, 2022.

Opening reception on November 5, 2022, from 3 - 6 PM.

Lichen, the subject of Williams' new exhibition, is an ancient organism that tells a compelling story about environmental change and ecological migration. The new lichen-focused works which Williams calls “restless objects,” aim to express the strangeness, sadness, and ultimately the resilience of these complex life forms. Many of the vividly colored paintings, cut-outs, and photographs are accompanied by what Williams calls “field notes,” a series of meticulous color studies that serve as addenda to the work and refer to Williams' observation logs created in the company of scientists during her regular field excursions. When her cut-out paintings are complete, she returns them to the natural world to photograph them in their original environment, bringing the studio and nature together. 

Grounded in Williams' interest in vulnerable landscapes and the quiet transmissions in the natural world often drowned out by human noise and industry, Williams' work seeks to better understand the mysteries of interspecies communication and the nature of non-verbal language, while also developing new ways of mitigating ecological and human loneliness.