Marilla Palmer   Optimism Reigns and Rains 18 March - 18 April, 2005 Gallery 2       Silver Lining, 2005 Stainless steel, rhinestones, fiber optic beads, tree fungus, programmed LED 72 x 30 inches (variable)           Silver Lining (detail), 2005 Stainless steel, rhinestones, fiber optic beads, tree fungus, programmed LED 72 x 30 inches (variable)             Happy Time (detail), 2005 Mirror, handblown glass, watch, crystal, programmed LED 14 x 8 x 8 inches             Rainbow Dancing Queen, 2002-05 Beads, silk, programmed LEDs 84 x 12 x 12 inches (variable)           Rainbow Dancing Queen (detail), 2002-05 Beads, silk, programmed LEDs 84 x 12 x 12 inches (variable)         Nice Sentiment, 2005 Mushroom spore prints on rice paper, embroidery 33 x 5 inches     Press Release Pierogi is delighted to present new work by Marilla Palmer. Palmer's work has been exhibited in the US and Europe, including solo shows in New York and Los Angeles. In the past she has furthered the tradition of painting by exploring the delicate and diaphanous nature of fabrics using non-painting techniques such as stitching, embroidery and beading. More recently, she has continued this exploration to make sculptural "paintings." Forest mushrooms and light-emitting diodes do not, as a rule, occupy the same plane of existence. We like to keep nature in a separate compartment a safe distance away from technology, which is what makes Marilla Palmer's new works a bit disconcerting at first glance. Her mobiles and wall sculptures, which might contain beads, bits of plastic, tree fungus and decorative letters, all come with their own lighting systems, which change hues at varying speeds…. (Dan Cameron, 2005) This exhibition will consist of hanging and wall-mounted sculptures, each with their own lighting component, as well as photographic elements. One work, "Silver Lining," is a floating stainless steel mobile in the shape of a cloud. Cascading strands of rhinestones and fiber optic beads are anchored with dried tree fungus while a glistening lone tree hangs among the strands. The dichotomy in Palmer's work is that we see one thing but feel another. She visually conveys a sense of fragile beauty and hope while playing with the darker side of emotion. There is a dichotomy of materials too, in which the whimsy of Alexander Calder meets the mood of James Turrell. The hand wrought, crafty aspect of her rhinestones, mirrors and beads contrasts with the high tech effect of the LED lights. Artifice collides with reality, optimism with despair. (Sue Scott, 2005)
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	P   I   E   R   O   G   I     2   0   0   0 177 north 9th street brooklyn, ny 11211 718.599.2144 noon to 6p friday through monday and by appointment pierogi 2000 is an innovative art gallery in williamsburg, brooklyn, new york