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Ann Corley Silverman Art Exhibition Explores Religion

Ann Corley Silverman, a Columbus artist and friend of the Center for the Study of Religion, often thinks about issues of religion and spirituality when creating her works, which focus on the medium of handmade paper. Some of her most recent creations now comprise an exhibition entitled 'Material and Metaphor' at the Concourse Gallery of the Upper Arlington Municipal Services Center, 3600 Tremont Road.

When asked about her recent work and how thoughts of religion motivate it, Ann replied as follows:

"I am a papermaker because papermaking is a lovely process of plant fibers floating in water and settling. Human cultures are then charted on the ensuing surface. We are codependent with the material context in which we exist; our breath is also the breath of trees.

In order to explain the religious references in the show Material and Metaphor, I need to begin with a story of a Fire Balloon Festival in Myanmar (Burma). I traveled there to see the massive balloons made of handmade paper. They are set aloft with a central flaming wick and disappear into the sky in an annual festival to welcome the Buddha back to earth. The illumination of the paper and the juxtaposition of the fragile material and the fire were potent and beautiful. The paper balloons also seemed very human – fragile, impermanent, and swelled with spirit and daring. I have been struck by how many performances and artifacts of great beauty have their origins in religious ritual.

Contemporary religious fundamentalisms and their ensuing conflicts have made me wonder where, exactly, beauty is located in such cases. In one of the works currently on display in Upper Arlington, entitled 'Dihedral/Open Book,' I present three boxes that comprise the central spine of an open book; each has a symbol of one of the three main monotheist religions of the Abrahamic tradition upon it. A honey-bee hive lived in each of the boxes for several weeks, creating their own structures. Thus, the 'book' is open and its paper wings have become translucent. In this work, I attempted to enfold our spiritual aspirations into the activities of other social creatures and into the embrace of natural laws and rhythms, where I believe beauty resides."

Another piece, 'Prayer Rug' [see illustrations, which show the whole work and a detail] weaves together pieces of sacred texts from several traditions and in several languages—Greek, Arabic, English and Hebrew—into a single structure.

The exhibition will continue through October 24. The gallery is open 8:00 am to 5:00 pm weekdays. Read more about it in the Columbus Dispatch.