Monday, August 20, 2018

KIN Cassie Normandy White



















Art exhibit revolves around intelligence of non-human life
Ben Bailey Art Gallery - 08/30/18 - 09/28/18





























  

Contact: Julie Navejar
julie.navejar@tamuk.edu or 361-593-2590

The Ben Bailey Art Gallery at Texas A&M University-Kingsville is currently the temporary home of an art exhibit entitled KIN, by Texas native Cassie Normandy White. The exhibit will be on display until Friday, Sept. 28. An artist reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21.

The title of White’s exhibit comes from the proposal of environmental forest biologist Robin Wall Kimmerer, who suggests “we replace the standard ‘it’ with the pronoun ‘ki’ for singular use and ‘kin’ for plural use so that we may shift our worldview of non-human life as objects, and instead recognize their being-ness.”

“Kimmerer’s research catalyzed a curiosity and passion for learning from the natural world, which led me down paths of inquiry across fields of forest ecology, animal behavior and plant cognition,” White said. “This research revealed who we live within a culture that assumes a hierarchy of value where humans, and especially human intelligence, is placed on top.

“We are now learning how non-human life is capable of behaving in ways that suggest intelligence, through mechanisms different than our own. Steeping in this research has shifted the way I engage with my natural surroundings and has molded my current creative process,” she added.

“My subjects reflect the overlooked: they are either miniscule, common or hidden, easily receding into the background of everyday experience. Given time and observation, these seemingly banal subjects are reminders of the mystery, complexity and coincidence of life on earth,” White said.

“My work weaves curiosity with materials, an interest in process, and unforeseen results that occur when these two meet,” she said. “This leads to a type of generative darkness, where experimentation guides decision-making and surprises drive me to explore further. This body of work uses three distinct ways of working to address common forms of life interacting with water, soil and air.

“I utilize man-made materials to evoke natural phenomena, and reveal the complexity of these unseen worlds through visual representation. I hope to encourage observation, so that we may begin acknowledging and appreciating the wonders and mysteries of kin who surround us,” White said.

 About Cassie Normandy White
Cassie Normandy White was born in San Antonio and grew up in Austin. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Printmaking from Texas State University. She has worked at Flatbed Press in Austin and was the printmaking studio technician at Austin Community College prior to moving to Corpus Christi. More recently, White completed her Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking from Tulane University in New Orleans.

The Ben Bailey Gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 361-593-3401.

-TAMUK-