pt. 2 Gallery is proud to present Pushing Up Daisies, a solo exhibition of paintings by Oakland-based artist Lena Gustafson. This new body of work centers on transformation, the cyclical changes that happen within and outside us. Her painted figures channel and express this energy by capturing it in a single moment and freezing it for examination.
“When I first heard the phrase 'Pushing Up Daisies' I was attracted to the beauty of this term that describes death and transformation. I imagined a body transforming its nutrients into flowers, creating a new life for its loved ones to mourn and connect with. Then I imagined all of the inherited nutrients/information our bodies receive when we are born; the repressed memories, as well as moments of pleasure, encapsulated somehow in the bones. Some of this information, I suspect, is never identified, lying dormant for many lifetimes until it rustles awake within the body, often as a complete surprise."
"I think of women who were diagnosed with hysteria or 'nervous illnesses' and of people who were considered “insane” and put away. I visualize the folding of anger repressed. The swallowing of breath and wildness tranquilized. I’m interested in where all that energy goes, which crevasse it gets stuck in, and how one might be able to transform and release it."
"Many figures in this body of work are seen transforming information; either inviting sensation into their bodies or expelling energy that no longer serves them. The bloom sequences and non-figurative paintings serve as a reminder of time and evolution. Representing the figure has always been central for me because I believe the body itself is a vessel for all information; its many nuances and unspoken truths.” ––Lena Gustafson
