Ornament and Abstraction
25.07.17-06.08.17
Solo exhibition, Sanderson Contemporary Gallery
https://www.sanderson.co.nz/ExhibitionDetails/462/Rozana-Lee/Ornamentation-and-Abstraction.aspx
This exhibition offers a conversation about ornamentation and abstraction. It traces the relevance of ornament to abstraction instead of setting them at odds. The collaged fabrics in the paintings serve as the artist’s composition as well as bearer of the ornamental patterns connecting her to the world, evoking a sense of place.
The word ‘ornament’ comes from the Latin "ornamentum," meaning ‘decoration.’ Often regarded as pure decoration, ornament carries symbolic, philosophical or mystical significance to certain cultures. Pioneers of abstraction such as Kandinsky and Mondrian drew inspiration from the patterns and the flat surface structure of ornamentation.
Ornament is also thought to give places a ’name’ as described in German word "Ort," which defines a specific place or location. Considering the speed of globalisation and the increasing mobility that are giving rise to a growing feeling of dislocation, places become increasingly arbitrary. The longing also grows for places to be identified and named.
