Vancouver artist Caitlen Chaisson’s unique work will be on display at the Ranger Station Art Gallery for the month of October.
Using a variety of mediums like drawing, paper sculpture and collage, Chaisson explores the architecture of the human body with her exhibition titled Tender Persuasions, or Looking for the Hard Edge.
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“The exhibition considers tenderness and severity in equal measures,” writes the Kent Harrison Arts Council in a press release. “Hard and soft qualities of mark-making expressed through tears, cuts, curves, curls, lines and spills, form an intense concentration on the elasticity of the human form.”
Chaisson has learned to look closely at the world around her using drawing as her medium. Recently, her focus on the body in drawing has led her to look at the relationship between drawing and performance, even using herself as a figure and performer in much of her work. In Yes, No, Yes….No, Yes, No (2017) Chaisson’s drawings were produced by placing a pencil in her teeth and shaking her head “yes” or “no” to create lines.
In her featured exhibition, Chaisson’s paper sculptures start as drawings and are made using her own body as a template. “There is a push and pull of material in each of the artworks, resulting in an exhibition that is full of tensions,” writes the Kent Harrison Arts Council.
Opening reception for Chaisson’s work is Sunday, Oct. 1 from 2-4 p.m with the exhibit running until the end of the month.