Solo Exhibition: In Good Hands
Carmen McNall
Dates: June 5 - July 3, 2021
Opening Reception: Saturday, June 5 | 11 AM - 7 PM
Glass Rice is proud to present In Good Hands, Carmen Mcnall’s debut solo exhibition with the gallery. McNall, a Bay Area native, is a painter currently based in Oakland, California. Through a distinct process of painting and wood-carving, McNall balances intricate patterns and textured mark making with flat stretches of pure pigment to create dynamic environments and conversations. Her practice relates directly to the handmade in both subject matter and execution; suggesting a dialogue about the timeless relationships between people, their unique environments, and what inherently fastens us to our surroundings, as well as the empowering qualities these places and objects retain.
In this show, the faceless figures in McNall’s work resemble Goddess-like muses in a variety of poses; each one embodying strength, confidence and wisdom alike. The figures are adorned with a novel blend of symbolic mark making. They rest within a complex yet tranquil interior landscape that inhabit both ancient and futuristic realms, acting as anonymous guardians of a transcendent, yet familiar moment in time. Through this work, McNall also explores the body as a vessel, a container that carries us through life, using both literal vessels such as vases and containers, as well as human forms. She investigates all that is held within our worldly form: memories, tension, energy, healing properties, intuition and how all of these aspects manifest into movement.
In this body of work, we are urged to reflect on the various types of human relationships, how storytelling binds us to one another, and our distinct narratives that exist among these universal connections.
Carmen McNall
Dates: June 5 - July 3, 2021
Opening Reception: Saturday, June 5 | 11 AM - 7 PM
Glass Rice is proud to present In Good Hands, Carmen Mcnall’s debut solo exhibition with the gallery. McNall, a Bay Area native, is a painter currently based in Oakland, California. Through a distinct process of painting and wood-carving, McNall balances intricate patterns and textured mark making with flat stretches of pure pigment to create dynamic environments and conversations. Her practice relates directly to the handmade in both subject matter and execution; suggesting a dialogue about the timeless relationships between people, their unique environments, and what inherently fastens us to our surroundings, as well as the empowering qualities these places and objects retain.
In this show, the faceless figures in McNall’s work resemble Goddess-like muses in a variety of poses; each one embodying strength, confidence and wisdom alike. The figures are adorned with a novel blend of symbolic mark making. They rest within a complex yet tranquil interior landscape that inhabit both ancient and futuristic realms, acting as anonymous guardians of a transcendent, yet familiar moment in time. Through this work, McNall also explores the body as a vessel, a container that carries us through life, using both literal vessels such as vases and containers, as well as human forms. She investigates all that is held within our worldly form: memories, tension, energy, healing properties, intuition and how all of these aspects manifest into movement.
In this body of work, we are urged to reflect on the various types of human relationships, how storytelling binds us to one another, and our distinct narratives that exist among these universal connections.
