July 12. Arezoo Bharthania / Diane Williams

Through Places

Where we hail from and where we currently reside are two of the most significant

facts about us. The foundation of our identities is derived from the physical,

historical and cultural attributes of places we live in and our connections with the

spaces we occupy.

Philosopher Michel De Certeau (1984) distinguished the term "space" from

"place." In The Practice of Everyday Life, he explained, "A place is the order (of

whatever kind) in accord with which elements are distributed in relationships of

coexistence." A place is stable and static, whereas space is a practiced place.

Space is what happens when dwellers navigate those places.

When people move from one place to another, they bring their art, science,

technology, culture, and behavior with them. We are constantly shaping the

spaces we inhabit, influencing the way we think, live and experience a place.

The artists in “Through Places” explore these ideas in diverse modes of creation:

drawn from varied sources, such as diagrams, motifs of cultural aspect and maps

of the places familiar to them. Some of the artists use materials and objects from

their current place that connect them to their experiences and memories as a

way to relate to their common spaces and a link to their places of origin.

Participating artists:

Kim Abeles
Shiva Aliabadi
Arezoo Bharthania

Carolyn Castaño
Jennifer Celio
Beatriz Cortez
Ching Ching Cheng
Chelsea Dean

Teresita De La Torre

Dulce Soledad Ibarra
Star Montana

Devon Tsuno

Christopher Anthony Velasco
Diane Williams