Seattle — in edge becomes center At the Frye Museum of Art, Mary Ann Peters invokes suppressed mass murders and forgotten histories of the diaspora. This is the first solo museum exhibition for the second-generation Lebanese-American artist, showcasing her series of paintings This trembling turf (2016-21), as well as site-specific installations. The drawings—dense sketches in white ink on black clay panels, each titled with the series title followed by a unique subtitle—depict in some cases bizarre landscape abstractions (for example, those subtitled “ “Shallows” and “Depths”), while others depict strange landscape abstractions. , such as “(surge)” and “(burst)”, imply related dynamic phenomena.
In “(Hollow)” (2021), short, thin dashed lines swirl and swirl towards a vast dark void, stimulating the apparent direction of the lines while simultaneously drawing them in through its gravity. “(Echoes)” depicts a more complex terrain. A dark band near the top establishes a horizon line above the sea, a different set of fields, or low mountains, or a combination of all of these. Among these, spiky geological formations appear to rise from large expanses of fluid.
The retinal stimulation and active lines seem designed to suggest a deeper meaning to the abstract image, but reveal nothing underlying. The accompanying wall text provides a single general account of the real-world event: an alleged mass grave beneath Beirut’s only golf course. Rumors have persisted for decades that the golf course contains the bodies of thousands of Palestinian refugees who were killed by Lebanese Phalangist militiamen in 1982 as part of the Sabra and Shatila massacres overseen by Israeli invading forces. part. Although Peters’s paintings are a shocking reminder of the lurid disturbances that may lie beneath the perceptible surface, any specific references remain mysterious.
A more subtle masterpiece is “Impossible Monuments: Gilded” (2024). This upright, rectangular room appears large with its heavy timber frame, taking up most of the gallery alcove wall. It consists of a collection of objects hidden behind a grid of mesh fabric, whose patterns allow partial glimpses of what lies behind depending on the viewer’s position. Eye-catching elements within the frame include ribbons, keys, door lock plates and laminated survival blankets, all of which are seen through the dull yellow light of aramid (a honeycombed synthetic fiber fabric) as if suspended in amber .
The black applied sealant that bonds the frame timbers also gives a rough but firm feeling that something is being hidden. Although keys and blankets are symbols of homelessness and refugee status, the peek-a-boo effect of the opaque grid remains in those symbols that are mostly hidden from view. These symbolic objects, such as keys and blankets, presumably reflect some of the artist’s reflections on the consequences and experiences associated with her own Lebanese heritage, accompanying and symbolizing the forced migration of increasing numbers of refugees from around the world in multi-generational exile.
Symbolic objects such as these accompany and symbolize the forced migration of increasing numbers of refugees around the world over generations of exile. The amulets suggest migration and lost journeys, but the mystery of the large-scale works keeps visitors at a distance. and This trembling turf A series of paintings, more specific reference points, or contextualized information can create a greater connection between the viewer and the work of art, providing a glimpse into a deep and difficult human experience.
Mary Ann Peters: Margins Become Center The exhibition will be on view at the Frye Art Museum (704 Terry Avenue, Seattle, Washington) until January 5, 2025. The exhibition is organized by Curatorial Assistant Alexis L. Silva.
