Shana Martin: Lifelines

December 01 - January 20,2024

From Arts Fort Worth:

"Lifelines focuses on materiality as a vehicle for representing my view of femininity within the larger context of the relationship between art, community, and rock climbing. By employing diverse craft methodologies with retired climbing ropes, I create structures and installations that reflect my personal experience as female artist and climber. Rope and cords play an imperative role in the participation of rock climbing, much in the same way specific materials do for each artist. For this exhibition I have combined my lifelines: art, rock climbing, and the people I hold dear to me. They all serve me in various ways but provide me with the feelings of connectedness and belonging.

My intent is to draw on human instincts to cultivate a space between femininity, community, art, mindfulness, and risk by combining craft processes with retired rock climbing ropes. I breathe new life into once life-protecting gear by constructing various forms and structures, with the support of people in my life who have contributed through donations of ropes or actual productions of knotted lines in the installations. This collaborative effort creates a shared experience where time slows down, or stops for a moment, to locate and preserve a place of wonder. A place where femininity, ruggedness, memory, materiality, risk, and mindfulness coexist in what I refer to as rugged femininity."

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Fort Worth, Texas 76107
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