Phyllis Thelen: Coming Full Circle
Planet Earth Screwed: Overheated
© 2016, paper, metal screw, 9” x 14” x 9”
January 10–February 27, 2020
POLITICAL AND ECOLOGICAL WORK
These two bodies of recent work, Planet Earth Screwed and Take Shelter (from the News) continue Thelen’s artistic response to political and ecological events and issues.
PLANET EARTH SCREWED
Planet Earth Screwed is a series of a dozen globes, where each globe defines a pressing issue that challenges our planet. Each globe defines an issue, such as pollution, overpopulation, the effects of climate change, yet when seen together they send a powerful message about our disregard for our most precious resources.
Several encaustic paintings accompany the globes. These works convey the strength of our emotions as we contemplate the state of the planet.
TAKE SHELTER (FROM THE NEWS)
Thelen has made a dozen umbrellas out of paper and bamboo. They are full size, waterproof, and open and close like normal umbrellas. Each one is covered with clippings from newspapers and magazines from recent years. The umbrellas recall Thelen’s earlier sanctuaries or small retreats, which were also designed to protect us from turbulent events.
While umbrellas are normally intended to shelter us from nature’s nurturing sun and rain, here they have a different purpose. These umbrellas are covered by therelentless storm of news that bombards us every day. They seem to offer only temporary shelter, as the storm continues.
Take Shelter (From the News) © 2017, paper and bamboo umbrellaswith newsprint, 30” x 22” x 30”
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