Kathi Packer: Equilibrium

Kathi Packer: Equilibrium 

FIRST STREET GALLERY is pleased to present new works by Kathi Packer, in the solo show Equilibrium, from March 27 through April 21, 2018, at 526 West 26^th St., Suite 209, New York, NY.

Blue Zebra, by Kathi Packer, 2017, oil on panel, 30 x 30 inches

In her exhibition titled, Equilibrium, Packer revisits the singular relationship between habitat and wildlife in the context of Africa’s Sub-Sahara migration. Where in earlier works, she had explored uncertain and apocalyptic threats to natural harmony, Packer now paints elegiac tableaux of what should have been cherished and protected, an Eden past.

Without sounding a shrill alarm, Packer appeals to our inherently positive nature that insists on preservation, which by extension enhances coexistence with all living things.

A Stand of Acacia/Rose, by Kathi Packer, 2017, oil on panel, 30 x 30 inches

Artist’s Statement

Equilibrium

The Serengeti is a remarkable experience of a life cycle on full display…birth, aging, illness and death. Nothing is hidden for long. Wildlife must continually negotiate the threat of being eaten or dying from not eating. It is a sober reminder of the narrow margin lives are afforded.

Serengeti, by Kathi Packer, 2015-2017, oil on panel, 30 x 30 inches

Several years ago, I returned to Africa. My destination was Masai Mara, the domain of the annual Great Migration. I wanted to experience this event, where Wildebeest and Zebra risk life and limb in search of regenerated grasslands in numbers seen only there. It is loud, messy, and dangerous with no filter. Half eaten carcasses line the river. It’s a place where hungry wildlife tear up riverbanks in a desperate attempt to evade hungry crocs and cats. It may appear to be destructive, but no act is wasted. Now, smaller creatures have access to means of survival as well. It’s part of a natural order that benefits fauna and flora…they are part of, and apart from, each other.

Dark Blue, by Kathi Packer, 2017, oil on panel, 24 x 36 inches

Where in earlier works, I explored uncertain and apocalyptic threats to natural harmony, the new paintings celebrate what should be reclaimed, cherished and protected…an Eden past. In my exhibition Equilibrium I strive to represent an equivalent artistic expression.

Yellow Fields, by Kathi Packer, 2018, oil on panel, 30 x 30 inches

I find myself navigating a taut line between abstraction and representation; one that in a way mirrors, metaphorically, the appearance and disappearance of my chosen subject matter. Hidden in plain sight a herd of zebra blends so that there is no beginning or end. In the high grass, stripes are mistaken for shadow and sunlight. A mass of wildebeest mimics dark blue spheres of rain. At other times, wildlife is subtly revealed; their shapes woven into a web of vegetation, barely distinguishable from their surroundings. All the while, I continue to build on my narrative of partially invented narratives touching on realism. My former earth toned palette is replaced by a richer more expressive one, dominated by blues, violets, orange-reds and yellow greens.

Acacia No. 2, by Kathi Packer, 2017, oil on panel, 24 x 24 inches

The joy I experienced firsthand in Africa and then again in the studio can only hint at the degree of passion I feel for my subject matter. My approach to painting continues to evolve. Each painting is an experiment in discovering a form unknown to me. An un-tethered imagination and inspiration make for another artistic adventure.

Wading, by Kathi Packer, 2018, oil on panel, 12 x 12 inches

Kathi Packer has exhibited within the U.S. and abroad. Her work is in private and in permanent collections including The New Britain Museum of American Art, Galeria Nacional de Costa Rica, The University of Connecticut School of Medicine, The Phoenix Corporation and Hartford Hospital. She has received numerous awards for painting as well as fellowship grants from the Connecticut Commission on the Arts and from The Greater Hartford Arts Council. Packer’s work appears in Volume 1 and 36 (2017-2018) of Studio Visit Magazine.

To learn more, visit her website at www.kathipacker.com