Stephanie Chefas Projects is delighted to present Form, Folk, Flora, Fauna, the latest solo exhibition by Portland-based artist Lisa Congdon. A celebration of Congdon’s creative core, Form, Folk, Flora, Fauna channels beloved motifs, images, and inspirations by way of bold and unfussy representations. Every spare detail is simultaneously underscored by personal experience, even if the resulting effect seems universal in scope. Striking a balance between the personal and universal through the use of vibrant color and essential imagery remains her greatest strength.
For Congdon, 2020 has found her in a state of perennial introspection and adaptation. On the very day that she completed treatment for early-stage breast cancer, she and her wife were told to "shelter in place" as part of Oregon's broader mandate. Along with the extreme pivot toward indoor life, there came subsequent stages of grief and fear. Being immunocompromised, she moved all her supplies into the home and away from a shared building. From within the confines of her own home, she went to work with an existing set of supplies, namely paper, wood panels, paint colors, and fabrics. What emerged was an entirely new exhibit than the one she'd initially envisioned.
Congdon's journey of patience, perseverance, and innovation has inspired some of her most quintessential work. Her love of incorporating clean and modern graphics within a folk framework is on full display. In addition to paintings, she created collages, ceramics, and quilting for the show, blending seemingly opposing forces to glorious effect. The Japanese concept of wabi-sabi–which seeks beauty through imperfection or impermanence–served as a major inspiration. All the while, a singular aesthetic persists.
Lisa Congdon’s Form, Folk, Flora, Fauna will be on view at Stephanie Chefas Projects from June 6 - July 4, 2020. Stephanie Chefas Projects is located in Portland, Oregon at 305 SE 3rd Avenue on the second floor of the Urban Row building. The show coincides with a showing of new works by Vince Skelly.
