Artist Explains 'Sacred Geometry,' on Display Until March 7
Willimantic, CT (02/22/2019) — Mixed-media artist Reni Gower recently visited Eastern Connecticut State University to kick off the opening of her exhibition, "Sacred Geometry: The Perfect Proof." The exhibition is on display in the Art Gallery from Feb. 1 to March 7, located in room 112 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center.
"Sacred Geometry" consists of large singular "papercuts," which are complex patterns inspired by Celtic knotwork and Islamic ornamental tiles that are hand cut from single sheets of paper. Gower was inspired by sacred geometry, a concept from ancient times that derives meaning from perfect shapes such as circles, squares and triangles. At her lecture, Gower discussed her development as an artist and how her fascination with patterns and geometry has continually inspired her work since she was a student.
"Geometry exists as an intrinsic belief in the natural world," said Gower. "Humans love to find patterns in everything, and there are plenty of them in nature. Time, culture and religion come together in this concept of observing and creating perfect geometric shapes."
Gower's artistic evolution began with her mixed-media work. She used recycled materials such as canvas, cheesecloth, plastic, aluminum screens or rug-hold, and cut them into strips to be layered onto a frame. After arranging these materials, she then painted her unusual canvas with acrylic in varying designs. This highly-contrasting work led to Gower's experimentation with acrylic and canvas with more conventional methods, but her interest in mixed-media never wavered.
"I have always been interested in recycled materials being used in art," Gower said. "A common theme in all of my work is materials adding up to more than the sum of their parts."
Her interest in geometry led her to explore the ancient art of papercutting. These pieces are painstakingly designed and cut from a single piece of paper. Some of Gower's works are over six feet in length. The process is laborious but meditative, allowing Gower to reflect on the nature of geometric designs.
"Sacred Geometry: The Perfect Proof" features these intricate works of art and Gower hopes the universal language of sacred geometry will connect Western and Middle Eastern artistic legacies with hope and optimism.
Eastern's Art Gallery hours are Tuesday and Wednesday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday 1-7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 2-5 p.m. All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu/artgallery or call (860) 465-4659.
Written by Raven Dillon
###
Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving more than 5,300 students annually at its Willimantic campus and satellite locations. In addition to attracting students from 163 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 26 other states and 20 other countries. A residential campus offering 40 majors and 65 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal art foundation grounded in an array of applied learning opportunities. Ranked the 25th top public university in the North Region by U.S. News and World Report in its 2018 Best College ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review eight years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.
Media Attachments
Reni Gower explains the concepts behind her artwork during her visit to Eastern.
Students analyze "Sacred Geometry" in Eastern's Art Gallery.
Papercuts: Burdock (2018) and Quatrefoil (2018). Acrylic on hand-cut paper
