Drawing is the protagonist and common thread between the three solo shows by Silvia Bächli, Jessica Stockholder, and Allyson Strafella on view at Galleria Raffaella Cortese from May 20, 2021. Each artist has developed their own drawing practice differently, but with the shared desires to cross the boundaries of the sheet of paper, as well as overcome the limits of the frame and of the two-dimensional surface. The medium, in all three exhibitions, takes on a dimension of installation and expresses a desire for osmosis with the spaces it inhabits.
In via Stradella 4 Allyson Strafella presents her first solo show with the gallery, which previously showed the artist’s work in an exhibition conceived with Helen Mirra, fieno fieno fieno, in 2016, followed by the related project between the two presented at Art Basel in 2019.
The title of the show, viveka, comes from the ancient Pali language. It is a term that for Strafella encompasses her experience of this past year. Though there are several translations, the one that resonates for Strafella speaks to the concepts of “seclusion + absorption” (in the words of Buddhist teacher Gil Fronsdal). This past year has been about sheltering in place, staying home, and being alone with ourselves due to the pandemic. Though uncomfortable for many, the time in seclusion from the world provided an opportunity to become absorbed in practice – the practice of mediation, the practice of drawing. Strafella’s studio has been a welcomed refuge to engage with this concept of seclusion + absorption.
Installation views
