On view now through June 6 at the Nabi Gallery in east Chelsea is an exhibit of new paintings and watercolors by Elsie Taliaferro Hill. Pangaea, named after the primordial continent on which land creatures emerged, comprises images of animal forms that traverse a personal mythology and chronicle portents of ecological change.
Pangaea, oil on canvas, 60x36, 2008
The artist, born and raised in Savannnah, GA, was trained at the Rhode Island School of Design and in the Columbia University School of the Arts MFA program. She currently lives and works in New York City but returns frequently to Georgia, whose natural environment is a continuing inspiration. The new show abounds in images of birds, crabs, insects, and other creatures that embody her perceptions of the ecological and political crises of contemporary life.
Pundits, oil on linen, 40x40, 2008
“Squawking, authoritative pundits influencing the country,” the artist comments on this work, which was “inspired by listening to the endless election coverage on NPR.” In other paintings, in which natural patterns and forms lead her where they may, the result is less explicitly definable but still charged with ecological meaning.
Kaeru, oil on linen, 40x40, 2009
A catalog is available at the gallery or from Amazon.com. In conjunction with Pangaea, the Nabi Gallery will host a concert by the of music chosen to accord with the spirit of the paintings, to be held at 8 p.m. on May 28.
