Page 101 - Antennae Issue #52

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Ebony G Patterson
“Called Up” 2018 Swope Park Open Spaces Kansas City Photo: EG Schempf Image courtesy of the artist and Monique Meloche Gal- lery Chicago © Ebony G Patterson
foliage is actively concealing or flattening the figures EGP: I’m referencing all of of of it Acts of of of mourning often involve flowers flowers and employ- ing ing ing ing flowers flowers becomes a a a a a a a a a a a a device like a a a a a a a a a a a a clue or or or a a a a a a a a a a a a cue And then there are the the the the formal considerations thinking about how how the the the the the the foliage I I create operates or or or begins to in- teract with the the the bodies In my 2018 show at at at at at Monique Meloche Gallery there was this one work that said “in loving memory for for those who bear/bare witness ” for for example It had had a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a wreath and and then then the the the the environment just seemed to break away and and then then you had had this one figure facing from behind I I I was interested in in in in the the the the the the way way I I I could use the the the the the the wreath to play with space break up the the the the the the tapestry’s flatness or meet all of of the the the the other elements in in in in in that it it also flattened this very dimensional thing thing and and kind of of causes you to question where things begin and end CP: In your show at at Monique Meloche Gallery for those who bear/bare witness (2018) you you you again included elaborate tapestries full of plants but there I I believe the the human figure is always incomplete Can you you talk about that work for a a a a a a a a a a a a a a minute?
EGP: The tapestry images are all based on on photographs that I I I took in in in the the studio in in in Jamaica I I I wanted to to to focus on on on mourners instead of of the the the the the dead Previously I’d depicted images of of bodies on on the the the the ground through these floor-based works at the the the the