In Search of Wisdom: Visual Artist Beth Achenbach
Last Updated on Friday, 04 September 2009 19:30 Written by Alina Oswald Sunday, 23 August 2009 13:01
ARTIST PROFILE
"When I was young, I used to say I would rather not be smart, I'd rather be wise [and] have all the answers," visual artist and activist Beth Achenbach comments, talking about her self-portrait. "In Search of Wisdom" started as sort of a challenge, a let-me-see-if-I-can-do-it kind of project, as she explains. The result is a simple, surreal sepia portrait in which the 42-year-old artist appears with a scarf around her neck (as if to keep her warm) and a candle holder in her hands, to light her way as she searches for answers, wisdom and Mother Nature. As audience, we can only follow in her footsteps, as she starts on a journey full of unknowns, and also promises.
"In Search of Wisdom" captures all four elements of the Nature: Earth, through its sepia tones; Fire coming from the candle light; Air through its two-fold symbolism--the air she breathes, which is cold, unwelcoming because she wears a scarf as protection, and also the air the candle light consumes to light her way; Water, representing the unknown we're about to discover as we follow the artist in her search of wisdom.
The image was a signature piece in Achenbach's show, In Search of Mother Nature. Opening in March, 2009--Women History Month--at the Art House Production in Jersey City, the show captured a complex portrait of the modern woman, her role and meaning in today's society, through a mosaic of portraits of women interacting with and surrounded by nature.
Most of the images were done quickly, the artist being, as she calls, "a quick photographer." She chose her models from people she knew, looking for strength and character in their features. During the photo shoots, she only told her models to be Mother Nature. And in the artwork, they represent one or more of the four elements--Earth, Fire, Air, Water. Models inspired images with titles like "Promise of Tomorrow," "She's All That," "More than Words" and "Silence in a Stare." Some images were more manipulated than others, in order to emphasize the identity with Mother Nature. For example, the model in "Peace on the Water" is photographed by the Morris Canal with no manipulation other than the Chinese symbol for water.
When asked about her favorites, Achenbach mentions a few, in particular a portrait of Christine Goodman, Director of Art House Production. "In 'More than Words' [Goodman, a theatre person and very outgoing] looks very serious and you wanna know what she's thinking," the artist explains.
Achenbach's images are not period pieces, because our Search of Mother Nature is a timeless process. Her artwork allows us to reconnect with Mother Nature and rediscover its surreal, simple beauty that exist around us and within ourselves. And in the process we find our own place in the nature, yet again. "Art is important," Achenbach says, "because it brings out conversations." It gathers people together who talk not only with the artist, but to one another, thus opening their minds. At the opening of In Search of Mother Nature exhibit, the artist found it amazing to hear the word "hope" thrown at her.
"Hope" can spin the conversation from art to activism and ideals we have as individuals, community or as a country. In today's climate, too many of us may put their hope into President Obama. His election united the LGBT community and also the country, giving everybody the hope we needed to believe again in our ideals, and also in ourselves. But, Achenbach points out, "I hope that we, as people, don't put so much hope into [Obama] to change things that we don't work [to change] ourselves," Achenbach comments. "If you believe in something, I think you should fight the fight to make the change, [because] he's not gonna change everything."
"Everything" may include gay marriage, which, in turn, is yet another step in the long journey of gay liberation, a journey that started 40 years ago this year with the Stonewall Riots of June 28, 1969. It may be only a matter of time until same-sex marriages become legal in New Jersey, but, especially after what happened in California, no state, not even New Jersey, is safe from the religious powers, if they want to sink their teeth into it, as Achenbach comments. Because the biggest problem with same-sex marriage is the religious aspect of it.
The truth is that a gay relationship is like any other one, it's about two people who love each other. Yet, getting that through to people is difficult. "Somehow we'll have to teach a lot of people that being gay is not a sin," Achenbach explains. "I'm not sure how we're gonna do that, other than having conversations with people."
"Somehow we'll have to teach a lot of people that being gay is not a sin," Achenbach comments. "I'm not sure how we're gonna do that, other than having conversations with people."
The artist continues to initiate open minded conversations with and within her audience, creating artwork for shows like 50 x 50 for Tibet - 50 artist honoring 50 years of Tibetan Resistance, opening this August at New York City's Art in General, and for Alley Cat Gallery, as part of October's Jersey City Artist Tour. Throughout the shows, her artwork remains a vehicle through which we can find the wisdom within ourselves and, thus, become part of a more accepting and understanding world.
For more information about Beth Achenbach and her artwork, please visit her at www.Eye4OneStudios.com
Also: Art in General: www.artingeneral.org and the Jersey City Artist Tour: http://www.proartsjc.org/
The Jersey City Artist Tour is on Saturday & Sunday October 3rd - 4th at Alley Cat Gallery, Coles Street Between 4th & 5th Streets in Jersey City.
Alina Oswald is a writer, photographer and author living in NYC area. Her new book is Journeys Through Darkness, a biography. She can be reached at www.mediabistro.com/alinaoswald.
Photos:
In Search Of Wisdom, by Beth Achenbach
More Than Words, by Beth Achenbach
Promise Of Tomorrow, by Beth Achenbach