Natalie M. Smith: HIVES March 16 - May 14, 2006 |
Martin DeWitt, Fine Art Museum director comments, “Smith’s installation offers a very provocative contemporary perspective in search for self amidst cultural identities…the installation is both an expression of perception of cultural alienation, vulnerability, sacrifice, and one of protection and healing, optimism…a voice for the future. Smith entices us in, reveals how systematic destruction of a matriarchal culture not only has a dramatic impact on the potential of a people, but also necessitates the need to evolve, survive and flourish amidst confrontation and trauma. Smith’s sculptural cocoon forms, the hives, are representative of the hornet’s nest, suggesting an exquisite life cycle…birth, death and rebirth…re-invention, while acknowledging a lost generation, or two or three…thriving, once again…Smith’s audio, the artist’s seven tract voice over to create a Queen hornet and workers moaning, buzzing, a multi-layered hybrid, is extremely moving, repelling…yet consoling…offering an emotional mix.” Natalie Smith is an Eastern Band Cherokee artist. She holds a BS degree in Art Education from Western Carolina University and has taught visual art at Cherokee High School, Fairview Elementary School and Smokey Mountain High School. As a visual artist she works in a variety of media often involving sound and voice. Smith is currently working on two large scale immersive multimedia installations that test the bounds of preception. Recent exhibitions include "Skintight" at the Wedge Gallery, Asheville and "...of the CAVE" at LIFT Contemporary, Cherokee. Born on the Qualla Boundary, Smith moved to Chapel Hill as a young child and graduated from Chapel Hill High School. "Growing up in Chapel Hill deeply influenced my entire being. It nurtured my natural/genetic tendency towards the arts. My school experience was filled with trips to the symphony, performances for the symphony, performances from around the world...my strict Hewish music teacher who made us sing "Shalom Chaverim" in Hebrew each day...my lesbian 4th grade teacher, her partner and their guitar, and on and on. I feel my excperience growing up in Chapel Hill, combined with my genetic lineage of coming from a place where EVERY family has at least one artist/craftsman, is the cause for my expression through visual art." |