AWOL: "phase shift (wattling)" by Martha Russo

"phase shift (wattling)", by Martha Russo, is made from wattles which are normally used to control sediment and erosion at construction sites, newly landscaped areas, or flood mitigation. Wattles are made by stuffing tubes of plastic netting or biodegradable cloth with hay or shredded aspen trees.
Following the 2013 flood in Boulder County, Russo was inspired by the “intriguing mass” of wattles she observed piled alongside the road and firmly staked into the ground during the reconstruction of Jamestown Canyon, northwest of Boulder. The concept behind this new installation is to free the wattles from their normally earthbound fate and give them a whimsical lightness and movement.
The title references the scientific process of phase change, which is a conversion of matter from one state to another: i.e. solids to liquids, liquids to gas. Here, the aspen trees began as solid objects which were shredded, adding air. The shredded matter further changed phase during installation, floating in the air with unexpected freedom.
About the Artist:
Martha Russo (b. 1962, Milford, Connecticut) earned her Bachelor of Arts in developmental biology and psychology from Princeton University in 1985. In 1984, while vying for a spot on the United States Olympic Field Hockey Team, she suffered a career-ending injury. After recovering from surgery, Russo was attracted to the physical nature of sculpture and ceramics. She began studying studio arts in Florence, Italy in 1983 and continued studying ceramics at Princeton University with Toshiko Takaezu. In 1996, she earned her Master of Fine Arts at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Russo exhibits her sculptures and installations nationally at venues such as the Allan Stone Gallery in New York City, Denver Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver, Miami Project, and The Santa Fe Art Institute. Her work was the focus of a 25-year survey at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art in 2016. Russo’s work is in many private and public collections including the Denver Art Museum. Another facet to her studio practice is through the socially and politically-based art collective, Artnauts, Russo has shown her 2-dimensional works in 280 exhibitions in 22 countries. She has been the collective coordinator for the last 12 years.
In addition to her studio practice, Russo is a lecturer at the University of Colorado Boulder in the Art and Art History Department and the College of Engineering. Prior to that appointment, she taught at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design in Denver for 18 years. She lives in the mountains northwest of Boulder, Colorado with her husband, Joe Ryan and children, Odelia, and Henry.
Learn More About GOCA: gocadigital.org
Learn More About GOCA's AWOL Program: gocadigital.or...
Learn More About "phase shift (wattling)": gocadigital.or...
Learn More About Martha Russo: www.martharuss...
Video by Lynné Bowman Cravens for the Galleries of Contemporary Art at UCCS, 2024