Pettest of Pets: Paintings by Erin Harmon at the Parthenon
10/21/2007
10/21/2007
Contact:
Location:
The Parthenon Museum
Category:
Open to the Public
Pettest of Pets: Paintings by Erin Harmon
September 28, 2007 January 5, 2008
The work of Erin Harmon, painter and Assistant Professor of Art at Rhodes College, Memphis, will be on view in the Parthenon's West Gallery. Harmon's intricate technique, manipulation of decorative elements, and psychological self-exploration create fascinating and at times disturbing environments.
Each of Harmon's finished works comprises up to thirty layers of paint, suspending painted images and decorative elements between pours of varnish. The glossy, saccharine result creates a tension between surface and interior. What appears at first glance to be a "pretty" painting turns out to be a psychological setting in which Harmon's characters, including hyper-feminine versions of herself, explore dichotomies of identity: submission and aggression; male and female; predator and prey. In both the actual and the metaphorical sense, there is a lot going on beneath the surface.
Harmon received a BA in studio art from San Diego State University in 2001, going on to complete an MFA in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2003. In addition to teaching at Rhodes College, Harmon has taught at the Accademia Dell'Arte Summer Fine Arts Program in Arezzo, Italy, and her work has been included in numerous solo and group exhibitions.
An opening reception will take place at the Parthenon on Friday, September 28, from 6-8 p.m. This reception is free and open to the public. The Parthenon is open 9:00-4:30, Tuesday Saturday. Admission is $5.00 for adults and $2.50 for seniors 62 and over and children 4-17. Children under 4 are free.
Image captions: Three Ring, 2005-2006, oil on wood
The Metro Board of Parks and Recreation does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, color, national origin, or disability in admission, access to, or operations of its programs, services, or activities. For TTY (relay service), call 1-800-849-0299. For questions, concerns, or requests regarding the American Disabilities Act call 862-8400.
September 28, 2007 January 5, 2008
The work of Erin Harmon, painter and Assistant Professor of Art at Rhodes College, Memphis, will be on view in the Parthenon's West Gallery. Harmon's intricate technique, manipulation of decorative elements, and psychological self-exploration create fascinating and at times disturbing environments.
Each of Harmon's finished works comprises up to thirty layers of paint, suspending painted images and decorative elements between pours of varnish. The glossy, saccharine result creates a tension between surface and interior. What appears at first glance to be a "pretty" painting turns out to be a psychological setting in which Harmon's characters, including hyper-feminine versions of herself, explore dichotomies of identity: submission and aggression; male and female; predator and prey. In both the actual and the metaphorical sense, there is a lot going on beneath the surface.
Harmon received a BA in studio art from San Diego State University in 2001, going on to complete an MFA in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2003. In addition to teaching at Rhodes College, Harmon has taught at the Accademia Dell'Arte Summer Fine Arts Program in Arezzo, Italy, and her work has been included in numerous solo and group exhibitions.
An opening reception will take place at the Parthenon on Friday, September 28, from 6-8 p.m. This reception is free and open to the public. The Parthenon is open 9:00-4:30, Tuesday Saturday. Admission is $5.00 for adults and $2.50 for seniors 62 and over and children 4-17. Children under 4 are free.
Image captions: Three Ring, 2005-2006, oil on wood
The Metro Board of Parks and Recreation does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, color, national origin, or disability in admission, access to, or operations of its programs, services, or activities. For TTY (relay service), call 1-800-849-0299. For questions, concerns, or requests regarding the American Disabilities Act call 862-8400.