JoEllen Wang: Marginalia

Opening: Thursday, November 7, 6:00 — 8:00pm Closing: Thursday, December 5, 6:00 — 8:00pm Marginalia arises from a profound empathy and curiosity about existence along the overlooked edges of our physical world. JoEllen Wang’s paintings and sculptures survey these “waste lonely places,” such as vacant lots and other areas that lack attention and investment. Her naturalistic yet disembodied paintings of tarps bear witness to the struggles faced by the estimated 13,400 to 40,800 unhoused individuals living in King County. A nomadic installation of RV-shaped plastic bunnies symbolizes intricate webs of cohabitation and continual life changes. A set of soft sculpture eco-blocks—crafted from furniture foam rather than concrete—invite visitors to touch and rearrange them, fostering a sense of agency and connection to the regulated public spaces around us. Like reflective annotations in the margins of a text, these selected works serve as Wang’s own form of marginalia. They are both an exploration of what is and a playful imagining of what could be, inspiring thought and challenging social norms around public and private space. They suggest that by embracing these marginal places, we open ourselves to new perspectives and possibilities, urging a collective rethinking of the narratives that shape our urban landscapes. This exhibition was funded, in part, by the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture.

Event Links

Website: https://go.evvnt.com/2705984-0

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