interface
Ely Urbanski
February 3 - 23, 2017
Opening Reception: Friday, February 2, 6-10pm
Project Statement
I have been collecting clothes from friends, family and my previous exhibitions visitors. These clothes are the matrices for my monoprints on fabric. Most of the clothes have a story, they were worn for a long time, the person who owned the clothes had an emotional attachment to it, they only used them in special occasions, etc. What I noticed is that those clothes have one thing in common: they are stories of relationships. A material reminder of an interaction with a living person, with someone they missed or a particular situation in their lives.
I believe that what I transfer to the substrate (a piece of fabric, a reclaimed sheet) is not only the material image but also part of the memory|energy of the clothes and their owners|users.
Our bodies, like pieces of clothes come in different fashions, colors, patterns, but the invisible part of our beings are made of the same common raw material and manifests itself through our positive or negative actions.
As it is invisible, we may not notice it at first glance, but if we take the time to focus on a conversation, a story, actions|behaviors we may start seeing the character of a body. The same way, if you allow yourself to see the invisible part of my works you may picture the memories, the stories, the interface.
About Ely Urbanski
Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil. Her father a photographer and her mother a dressmaker, influences seen in her works. Ely studied Art Education at the University of São Paulo where she studied with well-known printmaker Evandro Carlos Jardim.
From 1993-1995 she lived in Tokyo. Returning to São Paulo she started a series of works on fabrics, using sewing and drawing as an attempt to add trip memories and experiences to her prints.
From 2005-2011 she lived in Suzuka, Japan. During this period she developed a series of prints where the matrices were articles of clothing. Because of the lack of equipment, she used her own weight as the pressing instrument. During this time she participated in several group exhibitions and had her own solo show in Suzuka.
After the earthquake of 2011 in Japan, she decided to return to Brazil.
Back in Brazil and trying to rebuild her life she met her future husband online. In December of 2013, she arrived in North Carolina and became Ely Urbanski in January 2014.
Ely has been developing her art in Snow Camp, N.C. She creates prints on paper (monoprints, woodcuts).Other projects use clothes as matrices for her prints. Most of them are donations from friends or her exhibition visitors. Some of the donors participate in video recordings where they talk about the stories behind the clothes they donated. Interacting with the local community has been an important part of her creative process.
If you would like to participate in the exhibition, Ely Urbanski will be collecting clothes and recording interviews at VAE on the following dates:
2/4 (Sat) 12-4pm
2/8 (Wed) 3-6 pm
2/10 (Fri) 3-6 pm
2/11 (Sat) 12-3 pm
2/16 (Thu) 11am-3pm
2/18 (Sat) 12-4pm
2/22 (Wed) 11-2pm
2/23 (Thu) 3-6 pm