Boxed Out, Branching In- Glynis Frost Raisch
I have 2 pieces in this show. They are both paper mache and they both incorporate little houses; the houses are symbolic of family and home and community. They are made of cardboard and wheat paste and newspaper. The newspapers with the current headlines of all of the political unrest and the raging pandemic and the highly anticipated election etc. — is forever captured in the torn pieces of paper and I intentionally used the paint sparingly and transparently so that we can read and remember what was happening!
Boxed In
This piece is from the earlier time of the lockdown. It’s about the conflicting emotions that I felt. I was feeling safe and comfortable at home and at the same time feeling confined and lonely in quarantine. The box is the separation from our friends and community. We know that our community is still there, surrounding us but we can’t go out and see them, we can’t interact with them.
Branching Out
This piece is about the time after the lockdown was lifted. It’s about the need for life to move on. There’s “a new moon rising” and we can leave the house and begin to cautiously visit people and go back to school and resume our extra curricular activities… It’s an obvious reference to the tree of life and the human resilience to adapt and continue.
Also there is a tiny nod to Science fiction here! My family, we are big sci-fi movie buffs and like everyone, we did our fair share of binge watching TV! We re-watched all of the Star Wars movies; got hooked on the Mandalorian and now Wanda-Vision and we re-watched the whole Marvel series… so the box sort of gives a nod to Dr. Strange and the possibility of an alternate or 4th dimension.
The HOUSES as symbol of family and home and peace and joy; we are fortunate to have been able to comfortably ride out the lockdown; to have each other to lean on… our community and support system as the foundation of our strength.