Fragmented Stories
Fragmented Stories was a self-curated solo exhibition at the Chapel Gallery in North Battleford, September 24th to November 2, 2008. I am most grateful to all who attended and commented on the work. I am also grateful for everyone's participation in the collaborative piece 'Collective Memories' and will treasure the stories and comments you chose to share. All together the experience exhibiting in the gallery where I served as curator for many years was very pleasurable. I am pleased to share some of the images here. Twenty-four pieces from this show toured with The Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils Art on the Move Program from December 1, 2010 to November 30, 2012. The following is an excerpt from the travelling exhibition catalogue. Much thanks to Lynne Perrella for her writing of this essay! 'I recently encountered a quote by Paul Klee, offering the philosophy that “we have two eyes – one that sees, and one that feels”. These wise words reverberated strongly while viewing Holly Hildebrand’s collection of work for “Mixed Messages: Fragmented Stories”. Created with an affinity for intriguing, lavish surfaces as well as an undiluted feeling for personal documentation, this persuasive chronicle of familial shadowy images is seductive. “Write what you know” may be an over-used phrase, but delving into her own trunk of meaningful images has not only served Holly well – it has also been the very thing to inspire artwork that radiates with quiet persuasive significance. Although exploring her own personal stories, she also provides a pathway back to our own remembrances. The iconic scuffed outlines of Father and Mother remind us of our own parents entering the kitchen carrying groceries, or walking in from the garden; and now we are free to explore those dreamlike memories, revisiting old stories. Real or imagined. Nothing is wasted. Old correspondence, recipes, photo albums, sewing notions, fragments from the wood shop and work bench…..generations of family memorabilia has intentionally ended up in Holly’s admittedly-small home, plus accidental discoveries that come from time spent outdoors, or things passed along by other kindred artists….everything contributes in some way to the process. Although she may begin by holding significant objects in her hands and capturing their tactile essence, they may only provide a flashpoint for a piece that might take a totally unanticipated path. These items, although well-regarded, are often seen as secondary to the final work. Inspired by the enduring resourcefulness of her parents, she is drawn to well worn objects that have been many-times-repaired, repurposed and revamped; and the notion of “make-do” is both venerated and regarded as an important source of inspiration and impulse. Whether wrapping, binding, sewing, or painting over a surface or object, Holly’s art process echoes her family’s affinity for working with whatever material was available to them; as well as honoring the notion that repairing an object can actually add to its beauty. Her work communicates the reverie of time spent mending, tinkering, or retooling household things, as well as the gratification of “making it new”. Like a “close but no cigar” fabric scrap used to repair a worn coverlet, Holly’s work captures our notice and makes us examine the distinctions between old/new, scratchy/smooth, stories/myths, and more. Notating, writing and journaling all provide ways of ramping up to her mixed media work, but there is nothing to replace simply “jumping in”; likely another echo of the practical, get-it-done ways of her family. Recalling the needle working skills of her mother, or the affinity for beautiful pieces of wood collected by her father; Holly peruses the abundant collections of things at hand, establishing her own “developing story” by harvesting known and unknown aspects of her family lore. Our identities/myths often seem concocted from cross currents of odd overheard stories, and impossible-to-reconstruct illusive events, names and places. And our back stories are frequently shadowy and not easily chronicled by orderly genealogy charts. However, Holly’s work embraces all of those imperfections, and offers a new model for processing personal histories……providing a testament to using what we have, honoring what we know, and instinctually piecing together the rest.' Lynne Perrella
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