"Revealed" Exhibition at VisualSpace Gallery in Vancouver, BC

"Chorus" necklace by Canadian Art Jeweler & Goldsmith Mary Lynn Podiluk. On view at 'Revealed' exhibition, VisualSpace Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia.   Revealed remains on view through this coming Saturday, September 8, 2018. Visitors to the VisualSpace Gallery in Vancouver, British Columbia, can expect to see the works of international jewelry artists who push traditional boundaries of jewelry design.  

Imagination and Ingenuity Revealed

Sponsored by the Craft Council of British Columbia, Revealed showcases the works of contemporary art jewelers who use materials, techniques, and concepts that explore the theme of making known that which was once hidden. These unique works were curated by Barbara Cohen, Canadian jewelry and textile artist. Barbara uses the materials she works with outside of their usual contexts. She aims to push the boundaries herself, compelling those who see her work to question their preconceptions of value and meaning. Hence, it is no surprise that Barbara wished to invite other artists to push the boundaries with her. One of the artists featured in the Revealed exhibition transcends the traditional with her work, both in concept and materials.  

Mary Lynn Podiluk

Mary Lynn Podiluk submitted three pieces of her spectacular jewelry art for display in the Revealed exhibition. Her necklace called "Chorus" is featured in the above photo. In addition, her earrings "Hush" and "Amplify" also share the spotlight. All three are made using sterling silver in combination with vibrant glass-like resin. This pairing of traditional silver with the novel resin produces beautiful works of art. In addition, Mary Lynn adds another layer of novelty in her incorporation of language and her exploration of particular themes, such as metaphors and resonance.  

Metaphors

Chorus and Hush are part of Mary Lynn's Metaphors collection. Inspired by the concept of objects, phrases, and ideas that represent the abstract, Mary Lynn took natural forms and recreated them in ways that invite further exploration through the filter of language. At a distance, the fluted portions of her Chorus pendant appear to be etched with intricate flourishes. Upon closer inspection, these flourishes become letters. Suddenly, the vibrant red resin globes issuing forth from the flutes take on new meaning. A chorus of sound blooms in the imagination, and the potential meanings behind the piece emerge in concert. Could it be a chorus of trumpeters heralding an important edict? Or is it a concert of trumpeters welcoming a royal envoy? What if it's a megaphone empowering the voice of a once-silent witness? The possibilities are endless, and the beauty becomes timeless.  

Resonance

Mary Lynn Podiluk's Resonance collection explores language as art. The contour and fluidity of this collection facilitate an investigation of the relationship between conversation and artistic expression. In this collection, language transcends its function to become art. For instance, her Amplify earrings feature amber pools of resin set within hollowed vessels of gleaming silver. Inside the vessels, Mary Lynn stamped letters upon the surfaces. Without doubt, her fascination with language and sound culminates in these mesmerizing earrings.  

What Once Was Concealed

Mary Lynn Podiluk chose to exhibit these three pieces for their unique interpretations of the theme Revealed. To begin with, these three pieces embody the word in the ways that the silver and resin interact. Chorus and Hush feature hidden resin concealed within hollow silver forms. These tiny bursts of color reveal themselves only when viewed at particular angles. Likewise, when the amber resin pooling in the hollow of her Amplify earrings catches the light just so, they cast an amber glow upon the gleaming silver. What typically shines in a cool tone suddenly becomes awash with radiant warmth. Furthermore, both Chorus and Amplify feature stamped lettering upon the surfaces. While at a distance these look like etched flourishes, upon closer inspection they reveal themselves to be letters. One can almost imagine words forming to communicate with the observer. The invitation they extend compels the beholder to engage in the conversation. As I mentioned earlier, Revealed remains on display for only this one final week. To see these works, and those of the other artists, on display in person is to enter the realm of mysteries concealed and mysteries revealed. For more information, we invite you to visit VisualSpace Gallery's website.