The Friends of the Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library in partnership with Uforge are pleased to announce a new exhibition as part of their rotating art program. After soliciting proposals from a range of local artists, a selection committee comprised of community members and BPL staff have chosen six exceptional artists to fill its gallery space over the course of 2018. During the months of September and October, a series of abstract ink paintings by Providence-based artist Kristen Gossler will be exhibited.
A graduate of RISD, Kristen Gossler creates complex layered works built up from a variety of materials, including water-based pigment, screen printing ink, sumi ink, and acrylic paint. Each of her expressive abstract paintings poses a question, seeking to engage the viewer in an interactive experience. She pulls from a mental inventory of repeated forms found in both the natural and man-made worlds, provoking a familiarity and comfort in the viewer through subliminal means, as well as encouraging personal connection with the work. Of her use of the forms, Gossler says: “The unconscious use of these symbols is not art – it is the cognitive filter of the artist that gives these paintings relevance and meaning as a body of work.” Her recent “Confluence” series deals in earthy browns, warm yellows, soft greens, and burnt oranges, centering bold shapes and natural textures.
Kristen Gossler: Confluence is on view from September 7 through October 31, 2018, with a public reception to be held on Thursday, September 13, 5:30-7:30 PM. The library is open Monday-Wednesday 10-6, Thursday 12-8, and Friday-Saturday 9-5 (closed Sundays). The exhibition space is located on the lower level.
This exhibition is proudly sponsored by The Friends of the Jamaica Plain Branch Library.