The Clearing

In this installation, Marney McDiarmid and Clelia Scala reimagine a shipping container to transport viewers from a space of global commodity to an organic ecosystem that values introspection, delight, and connection. Inspiration for the work derives from the wilderness practice of the sit spot, a mindfulness practice of sitting in nature and observing the world around you. Using clay, paper, and mixed materials, McDiarmid and Scala have created pieces based on their engagement with the “natural” world. Viewers are invited to participate in an act of regeneration by bringing personal documents to the exhibit (old letters, journal entries, notes), shredding them, and adding them to the artists’ landscape. With The Clearing, Marney and Clelia seek moments of solace and relief amid a chaotic, distressing, and simultaneously glorious world.

The installation features a poem by Sadiqa de Meijer, a soundscape by Matt Rogalsky, and a mural by Lee Stewart.