Cynthia Mason
In the alt_space:
Implosion/Explosion
by Cynthia Mason
On view: May 7 - June 11, 2016
Opening reception: Saturday, May 7, 4-7pm
Cynthia Mason investigates the art of construction and deconstruction in her work. Implosion/Explosion is a dynamic exhibition that features a collection of both 2- and 3- dimensional work. Mason's work is abstract by nature and her brushstrokes are gestural; many of the pieces are perforated with specs of reddish paint which seem to interrupt the continuous lines. The work invites the onlooker to question just why the object was created. One of Mason’s most interesting piece is her 3-dimensional piece, Pathways. Intestinal in appearance, Pathways is littered with small fragments that tether to the construction as if in the act of being digested. Though this body of work is not per se representational, even the title of the exhibition suggests a meddling force.
The work combines usual and unusual media such as paint, hot glue, pins, plaster, porcelain, 24k gold leaf, and Styrofoam. In the piece Boob, Mason uses slang to title a cartoonish female breast and shrouds the body part with what could be a cluster of clouds. Mason's work is cunning; her use of bright colors, unconventional materials and discontinuous subject matter leads one to believe there must be something more to uncover.
The artist explains, "my motivation lies in exploring painting as a cultural trace, documenting existence as relics of human gesture. I challenge the definition of painting in my use of unconventional materials and hand-crafted formats. In my work, the value systems that order our society are important. Sources of inspiration are the architectonic communication of language and the semiotics of our built environment. My interest lies in exploiting the contradiction between what we know to be there and what we actually see."
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Cynthia Mason received her MFA at the University of South Florida and BFA from Ringling College. She is the recipient of an Honorable Mention in the Visual Arts by CAA, a Florida Artist Enhancement Grant and has been selected for artist residences at Jentel Artist Residency Program in Banner, Wyoming; Starry Night Retreat in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico; and the School of Visual Arts Summer Painting Program in New York. She currently lives and works in St Petersburg, Florida.