Beauty and the Beast

Solo Exhibition by Isla Fabu

03/03/2022 – 11/04/2022

The gallery is tranquil but stimulating – what a wonderful combination for an exhibition in these times. Works made with infinite care and exquisite detail explore the space beyond dualistic perceptions.

Immersing herself in an intimate exploration of the NZ Native Flax or Harakeke, Isla has found a source of fibres and pigments that resonate with her attention to subtle nuances and connotations. As Isla writes in her artist statement for the exhibition:

While living in the presence of Taranaki Maunga, muka, the fibre of harakeke / New Zealand Flax, became my main inspiration, spiritual guidance and beloved teacher, almost every piece in this exhibition is a co-creation with muka from this land. Working with this Beauty means extensive, time-receiving processes where I can be fully present for what is unfolding.

It’s a homecoming to the world via my senses, a moment-by-moment-awakening from the dream of separation.

(Isla Fabu 2022)

The development of the idea of dualistic categories is undertaken by spinning magical beauty from fibres our current society considers to be “beast”, e.g the fluff from mothplant seed pods and possum fir. The result of processing these in the gentle respectful handling of Isla’s spinning queries “beauty” as a pre-decided notion. This, of course, is also about the polarities of the good/ the bad, the safe/ the dangerous, the known/ the unknown and essentially in our current state of society – mine/the other.

I grew up in Eastern Germany behind the Iron Curtain, believing in a scary beast on the other side of the wall. The wall came down but the beast turned out to be different than I thought. It lives in- side of each of us, constantly dividing into self and other, good and bad, having and not having and so on.

Each piece in this exhibition reflects on my journey into the space beyond these dualistic perceptions. A journey guided by natural fibres and colours from the land, and indigenous wisdom.

In these difficult times of change we live in, fear easily feeds the separating mind, which only causes more suffering. I hope this exhibition provides some inspiration for connecting back to the quiet space where we are ONE.

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.” Rumi

A wide selection of the works in the exhibition is now available on the gallery web shop. More details and images are available there for each work : https://fromoutofthebluestudiogallery.com/shop/

More information about the Artist Isla Fabu and her processes can be found on https://fromoutofthebluestudiogallery.com/isla-fabu/

or on her personal website https://www.islafabu.com/blog/beauty-and-the-beast