Symphonia: Dialogues of Landscape, Ritual and Resilience (January 22 - March 7)

Symphonia: Dialogues of Landscape, Ritual and Resilience aims to explore the profound and intricate intersections of religious, ecological, and expressive themes through the works of four Chicago-based artists: Joanne Aono, Karen Azarnia, Jon Seals, and Michelle Wasson. Envisioned as an artistic conversation that transcends traditional boundaries, the exhibition is designed to encourage contemplation and dialogue, creating an immersive experience for the viewer to explore.

As an artist and farmer, Joanne Aono explores the intersection of nature and the cultural significance of food sovereignty across communities, drawing on humanity's historical reliance on the earth for survival. Through large drawings on agricultural fabric and small panel drawings depicting foraged foods and cultivated plants, Aono conveys themes of impermanence, the passage of time, and the interconnectedness of life, emphasizing the essential care needed for the holistic sustenance of the Earth and its elements.

Through painting, Karen Azarnia explores themes of time, home, memory, and natural life cycles. Navigating the delicate balance between abstraction and representation, works from her Verdant series are characterized by lushness and generosity – an act of care for the viewer. The work seeks to inspire renewal and resilience, drawing parallels between the meditative rhythms of nature and the painting process.

Employing a unique mixed-media approach, Jon Seals utilizes materials directly harvested from environmentally shifting landscapes. The symbiotic exchange with the soil, water, and plant life is evident in artworks created through pouring, dipping, and combining hand-drawn and painted elements. The integration of water sourced on-site deepens the artist's connection with the land and sea.

Michelle Wasson's paintings serve as a sensual refuge, intuitively created from memory and imagination. Her canvases, flowing between landscape, still life, and the figurative, portray surreal planes where divine vessels evoke the power of nature to create, destroy, and create anew, offering a reflection of our shared humanity in the natural world.

While each artist in Symphonia offers a distinct viewpoint embodied through their own uniquely built worlds, together these worlds intertwine to culminate into something much larger. It is through this simple yet powerful act of shared connection in which Symphonia ultimately seeks to inspire a renewed sense of environmental consciousness, and a commitment to preserving the sacred harmony within our world.

Free and open to the public.

Exhibition co-curated by Karen Azarnia & Jon Seals.

All are welcome to join us for an opening reception for this art exhibit on Wednesday, January 22 at 5 p.m.

Sponsored by the Institute of Sacred Music’s Religion, Ecology, and Expressive Culture Initiative.

Contact: Anesu Nyamupingidza

Art credit: Michelle Wasson: Golden Lacuna, Aurea Nova Series, 2023