course I was already on.” The repetition
of language and symbols in Dill’s work
imitates the reciting of a mantra, chanting
the same words over and over until
there is a release from active thought
to the subconscious mind. This idea of
transcending personal experience to a
more universal understanding is in?uenced
by Dill’s longtime study of the work of
Carl Jung and his concept of the Collective
Unconscious and synchronicity.
While in India, Lesley Dill was also
inspired by the almost in?nite variety
of handmade paper available there. She
found in paper a metaphor for the human
condition, seemingly fragile, yet malleable
and strong. She began making dresses and
suits from paper covered with text – words
and language are our armor and protection.
These later transitioned into metal dresses,
but the underlying theme remains as in
Word Queen of Laughter.
The variety of Lesley Dill’s work is
astounding and yet there is a consistency
in approach to meaning and intensity. The
work is thought-provoking and inspiring
even if the poetry is unfamiliar. It touches
on, and exposes, a shared emotional
understanding of the human experience.
The exhibition was organized by the
Hunter Museum of American Art,
Chattanooga, Tennessee in conjunction
with George Adams Gallery, New York.
Presenting Sponsor
Anonymous Donors
Supporting Sponsors
Susan Thorpe and John Baynes
Gregory J. Wych, D.D.S.
Free Times
See page 7 for information on related events,
and page 9 to learn about an opportunity to
meet the artist at a special preview.
Lesley Dill (b. 1950)
White Threaded Poem Girl, 1996
photo silkscreen, oil paint, thread, tea, silk
Collection of the Hunter Museum of American Art,
Chattanooga, TN
columbiamuseum.org
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