Emily Counts: Parts and Parcels

Exhibition Dates: October 10 - November 17, 2018

In her largest solo exhibition to date, artist Emily Counts’ Parts and Parcels is a collection of interconnected sculptures and installations that explore the theme of fluidity in the unconscious mind and within human-designed networks. Working in ceramic, wood, and glass, Counts brings together abstract constellations of amorphous shapes, arranged ritualistically or attached to one another via umbilical cord-like tethers. The resulting installations reflect how associations and connections are formed in our minds, in nature, within our bodies, and through social networks.

A meticulous focus on materiality is at the core of these endeavors. Counts writes of her work: ”My use of archival and enduring media such as ceramics, wood, and glass engages the notion of longevity and memory contained within objects and speaks to the history and tradition of craft practices. I am investigating connectivity in this way as it relates to time, and the links that my practice makes with the past, in addition to the many other instances of connection both internal and social that form our contemporary experience.”

Known for her distinct ceramic sculptures and jewelry, Counts’ more recent work has evolved to incorporate electric lighting that can be viewed through translucent stained glass and acrylic panels. The work stems from a curiosity about the way light, when viewed through glass, enhances the perception of color and the act of viewing itself. This experiential focus has also led to the development of interactive sculptures that viewers are invited to touch to activate, an invitation for physical connection with the work that further incorporates audiences into the psychological space these works inhabit.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Emily Counts was born in Seattle, Washington, where she currently lives and works. She studied at the Hochschule der Kunste in Berlin and the California College of the Arts, where she received her BFA. Her work has been exhibited at the Museum of Arts and Design (New York), Cooler Gallery (Brooklyn, New York), Eitoeiko (Tokyo), Bellevue Arts Museum (Bellevue, Washington), in Portland, Oregon, at Nationale, Carl & Sloan, and Disjecta, and in California at the Torrance Art Museum, Garboushian Gallery, Mark Moore Gallery, and Durden & Ray. Counts was an artist-in-residence creating work for associated solo exhibitions at Raid Projects in Los Angeles and Plane Space in New York. She has received grants from the Oregon Arts Commission, the Regional Arts & Culture Council, and The Ford Family Foundation. Counts is a member of SOIL Gallery in Seattle, Washington, and is represented by Nationale in Portland, Oregon.