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Glass, Cinder and Thorns at 323 East
The fairy tales we enjoyed as children take on a somewhat "darker" hue when filtered through our adult minds and adult experiences. Quite suddenly we see the symbolic significance of Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty and all those charming princes who took their sweet time getting to the castle.
You may recall “The Uses of Enchantment,” Bruno Bettelheim's scholarly dissection of the subject - or the 1984 Neil Jordan film “The Company of Wolves.” But if fate or chance has prevented you from either reading the book or viewing the movie, take heart - there's some art in Royal Oak that will illuminate the matter quite clearly.
Glass, Cinder and Thorns is a group show at 323 East with a very intriguing premise: How would a female artist today interpret (or reinterpret) those archetypes found between the phrases “once upon a time” and “happily ever after?”
What exactly were fairy tales telling little girls? Lies? Or did the stories contain subtle warnings - keys that could be used later for reflection and self-discovery.
It was this that prompted curator April Segedi to send out invitations to artists across the globe. The enthusiastic response now guarantees that the Satruday, March 20 opening and reception will be a major event. And it also guarantees that Ms. Segedi's chosen theme will come into very sharp focus. Sharp as a thorn, in fact.
“There are a lot of horrible things in our everyday reality today,” Segedi explains, “and we all sometimes wish for a place or time where things are simpler and better. We find ourselves wanting the warmth of our childhood beds, the calming voice of our parents sending us of to sleep with our favorite story. Yet even in fairylands of beauty and glitter, evil things creep about in false glamour, such as the evil witch living in the gingerbread house or a beautiful sea nymph singing you into your watery grave.” —Robert del Valle, Special to Metromix
Glass, Cinder and Thorns at 323 East opening reception starts at 6 p.m. Saturday. Curated by April Segedi, the show featuring works by Kelly Vivanco, Audrey Pongracz, Jessica Dalva, Edith Lebeau, Megan Frauenhoffer, Maria Finna, Tina Tourikis, Nicole Cummings, Lisa Petrucci, Jessamyn Patterson, Jaclyn Schanes, Lost Fish, Crystal Mielcarek, Jeannie Paske, Jenna Colby and more closes April 15.
