Adjoa J. Burrowes
Undercurrents: Monotypes by Adjoa J. Burrowes
Passage Gallery
March 9, 2018 – April 22, 2018
Artist Reception: Saturday March 24, 2018 4-6PM
My work in Undercurrents feature recent abstract monotypes that explore the angst and uncertainty of contemporary times. Some of these works, hand printed using cut-out plastic stencils, present muted layers of color that flow through and around large organic shapes ‑ like the troubled waters of dissent surrounding water rights.
The symphony of color is deceptively pleasing. The hexagonal shapes of honey cells in other work can be seen through earth-toned textured layers and bold organic shapes. These reference the plight of the endangered honey bee (ancient queens) and draw attention to current environmental concerns, as well as man’s negative impact on the natural world. These were printed from gelatin plates.
The immediacy of monotypes appeal to me in its urgency and uniqueness. No two are alike. My large predominately black textured works, with spots of color, were printed from reclaimed plastic wrapping and recall aerial photos of burnt out cities and landscapes, the result of fire storms or urban violence. The printed impression from torn and pulled edges are like insect legs scurrying for cover. All are studies in color, texture, line and shape and hopefully visually reflect the precariousness of current contemporary life.
Biography
Adjoa J. Burrowes is a printmaker, mixed media artist, author and educator. She earned a B.F.A. in printmaking from Howard University and an M.A. in Art Education at Corcoran College of Arts and Design at The George Washington University. Burrowes has studied with contemporary artists in Ghana, Nigeria, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has presented her work in the Virgin Islands, Mexico, the Netherlands and France. Burrowes has designed and implemented art workshops and residencies for cultural institutions throughout the nation including the John F. Kennedy Center, National Museum of Women in the Arts and the National Civil Rights Museum. Her mixed media collages, prints, paintings and sculptural installations have been exhibited throughout the U.S. Her works on paper are included in collections at the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center; Brooklyn Art Library; Banneker Douglass Museum of Culture and History, The Southside Community Art Center; Art Colle Museum of Collage, Plemet, France and the Verbeke Foundation, Belgium. Burrowes has been a teaching artist for the John F. Kennedy Center for almost a decade, designing and implementing art and writing workshops and residencies in over 15 D.C. public schools.