Jen Thario Art. Portland, Oregon. - Inner, 2009, Core New Art Space.

portfolio > Inner, 2009, Core New Art Space.

‘Inner’ explores the intersection of the lines we knit around our sense of self. Inner as an adjective relates to many expressions: inner city, inner voice, inner child, inner beauty, inner peace, inner circle, inner strength, inner demons, inner sanctuary, inner workings. This body of work examines the personal evolution of how life lessons are learned, unlearned, and woven into a unique world view. Reviewing the relevance of our activities in the world at large, to gain an understanding of place, relationships and the center of our beings.

Tension in the Neighborhood Fabric
Mixed media installation. Canvas, acrylic, thread, springs, metal.
Tension in the Neighborhood Fabric consists of 73 little house shaped canvases that were each sewn, painted and then embroidered with the neighborhood demographics for each dwelling within a couple blocks of my house. They are all held together/tensioned with little springs. This work is a reaction to conversations with some of my neighbors about Denver rezoning the entire center city and the issues of race, gentrification, preservation, property values & rights that came up in those talks. I sought to document what existed on the eve of that change. Demographics include the following information:
Age of Building
Skin Color of Occupants
Condition of Property
# of Residents
Dwelling Size
Tension in the Neighborhood Fabric (Detail)
Domesticated
Domesticated. Partial Gallery View. Mixed Media Installation. Wood, Metal, Acrylic.
A visual exploration of feminine adjectives. Each word is stamped on a small hand fabricated metal dress on a hanger suspended from an iconic wooden ‘home’. The piece examines ideas of identity as a construct or a costume. Gallery visitors were encouraged to rearrange the garments to form descriptive phrases. Combinations ranged from a riff of Jerri Hall’s infamous quote ‘Maid, Cook, Whore’ to ‘Saucy, Sacred, Hidden’.
Domesticated (detail)
Irony
Found Object.
Walking in the woods near Winter Park we came across this ironing board that had been used for target practice. i brought it homme and engraved it with the stories of domestic violence that had been shared with me by women I know.
Inner Circle
Inner Circle. Wood, Acrylic, Polyform Clay.
All living things grow according to predetermined patterns. Trees are biomorphic and relational to how we see our own bodies. In this work, natural forms become simple gestures and personalities emerge.
Looking In
Looking In. The Introverted Self.
Wood, Metal, Reduction Lens.
Looking Out
Looking Out. The Extroverted Self.
Wood, Vintage Skate, Leather, Metal, Magnifying Lens.

portfolio > Inner, 2009, Core New Art Space.

Tension in the Neighborhood Fabric

Tension in the Neighborhood Fabric (Detail)

Domesticated

Domesticated (detail)

Irony

Inner Circle

Looking In

Looking Out