Monique Martin creates gallery installations involving thousands of intricately screen-printed and hand cut paper objects. Meticulously detailed individual pieces merge into a larger whole; the sum is greater than the individual parts. In this exhibition, thousands of paper dandelions, entitled Context is Everything, coexist with Annus Mirabilis, a newer body of work depicting paper butterflies. There is no distinct line between the two works, the butterflies spill off of the walls and throughout the field of flowers across the gallery floor. 

 

The dandelion is a silent protest that is heard worldwide on sidewalks, in parks, and in gardens. It is a symbol for not accepting a monoculture but being open to differences and changing the stereotypes imposed on us by society. Since the dandelion can thrive in difficult conditions, it becomes a symbol for healing from emotional pain, physical injury, and surviving through the challenges and difficulties of life. The dandelion tells us to not give up, even if those around you keep trying to get rid of you; it calls us to be strong in the face of adversity.

 

While the phrase Annus Mirabilis is not extremely common, it is used by writers and historians to denote any particularly remarkable year. In this case, Martin is using it to mark this past pandemic year, focusing on transformation through the use of the butterfly as an image. Transformation is the deep time of things when life hangs like a question mark, fragile and always changing. While it takes decades to form a life, a single moment in time can be transformative. We know we will not be the same person tomorrow that we are today, transformation is the process within human existence that allows us to live in the continuous present. The arithmetic of life can be looked at as continuous subtraction or as continuous transformation. When we die, there is a universe inside our head that evolved and changed as we experienced life.  When parts of our life run thin like the transparent chrysalis of a butterfly there is room for transformation, change, growth, and movement. 

 

Context is everything – each moment, each decision, each relationship we have in our lives, and all of the experiences we have had come together and affect how we respond to stimuli. This installation merges the unwanted flora of the landscape with delicate pollinators, illustrating the symbiotic relationship between tenacity and transformation. It highlights the characteristic of judging people, events, and circumstances too quickly without using our prior knowledge and insights. It touches the soul of any person that has ever been discriminated against on any level, for their health condition, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, ability, body shape and size, even what fashion they are wearing. 

 

As you move through the exhibition, take the time to pause – consider the moment and your connection with others more deeply. Context is Everything creates an ecosystem within the gallery space, one where transformation and resilience manifest despite continued adversity. Weeds can be beautiful, can be a source of nutritional value, and have medicinal properties. What makes a weed a weed and not a flower if it is a source of sustenance for other beings and a thing of beauty? 

Tim van Wijk - Curator