Jacqueline Belcher’s work touches on the idea of consciousness and maybe an altogether different mental space.
From a starting point onwards the practice of mindfull-ness, and concentration, has many points at which it can deviate. The focus for her is on the process of reduction and repetition, the manipulation of matter. This can be seen as a practice which allows, or requires, stillness. The process hones concentration and therefore the power of the mind through focus.
Belcher’s exploration of this idea began taking a visual direction when she was pondering the beauty of a single expanse of white paper. How can one add to such a simple and beautiful void? So she began to do the opposite, taking away from it by slicing out shapes. The shapes were evocative of the mental process and the repetitive cognition in bringing oneself to focus, and focus, and focus. The intersection of two circles and the point to line to point of simple geometric forms allows for the idea of taking from something as simple as a circle, and not adding to it; again the process of taking from, not adding to.
The resulting works are beautifully patterned and complex. They are Belcher’s proclamation if you will to the power of silence and the noise in the void. The works testify to the idea of ‘being’ in the moment, the idea of staying in the ‘now’, the ‘present’. Belcher references ideas in eastern and western meditation practices, also spiritual alchemy, esoteric philosophy and sacred geometry [as in Indian art].
Belcher was born in Australia, and lives and works in New York City. Her next exhibit ’substance and form’ opens at Cheryl Hazan Gallery on the 8th Oct.
Her studio in midtown Manhattan will also be open to the public along with fellow artists at EFA studios on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16 and 17.
