Memories at Night
Isabella Saavedra
June 1 – August 25, 2024
Olive Street Gallery
OPENING RECEPTION
Saturday, June 1st (more info to follow)
Indigenous Artist Isabella Saavedra’s Memories at Night includes large-scale mixed media pieces implementing painting and stitchwork to depict nighttime scenes.
From the artist…The series will be an expansion of “now-isms” that I have portrayed in past works. “Now-isms” is a term I have coined to describe my reactions and responses to things happening in contemporary life whether they be personal or viral. This term embeds the philosophy of artmaking as an act of visual sovereignty and decolonization. Thus, my references are pulled from things I react to in my environment, such as wildfires, the Covid-19 pandemic, supreme court cases, songs, chismé, the city I live in, and social media. In this body of work, I am specifically inspired by now-isms of the nighttime. Some nights the realms of the spirit world, dream world, and the real world exist simultaneously, and at these times, one can commune with one’s self, memories, and previous versions of themself and consult with spirit guides. This is also the time I most often find myself painting. It’s become a ritual act. I am also inspired by the tv show “The Night Gallery” (1969). On this show, a docent walks the viewer through an art gallery, unveiling paintings to introduce macabre tales and scary stories of the supernatural. I aim to marry these ideas together through style, subject, and presentation.
Celebrating the next generation of Indigenous creators, five emerging artists come together in Where Waters Meet
Flowing from diverse backgrounds and tribes, these artists meet at the Newport Visual Arts Center and Performing Arts Center Galleries this summer, showcasing photography, videography, installation, painting, and basketry. Honoring heritage while establishing new paths of contemporary expression, Leonard Harmon, Leland Butler, Isabella Saavedra, Chantele Rilatos, and Booker Bartow open the door to rich perspectives in four exciting exhibits. CLICK TO LEARN MORE