OPENING: Emily Nachison links measurements to meaning in Bullseye Gallery exhibition

An essential philosophy of Portland-based artist Emily Nachison is that “our world is one of transformation and not destruction.” Much of her previous work examines the transformation that takes place during lifecycles of growth and decay. She has also dissected mythologies of scientific (and even pseudoscientific) history, as well as contemporary spirituality. In addition to her work in fiber, in which she holds an advanced degree, Nachison also makes cast-glass sculptures, which will be the focus of her solo exhibition at the Bullseye Gallery in Portland, Oregon. Entitled “The Realm of Quantifiable Truths”, the exhibition opening is this evening, Wednesday, July 2nd, and it will run through August 30th, 2014.

Nachison’s work is not only labor intensive, but is also intellectually stimulating and the culmination of much academic study. Currently the interim chair of the fibers department and a visiting faculty member at the Oregon College of Art and Craft in Portland, she holds a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of the Arts and an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art. A recent trip across the country to conduct research at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University inspired much of the work in this exhibition.

"The Realm of Quantifiable Truths” acknowledges the way we assign value to measurable units and use that significance to create meaning to frame our observations, particularly in regard to time, distance, and size comparisons. Scientific discoveries and spiritual beliefs both contribute to the development of myths and the nature of knowledge, which Nachison’s work fixates upon.

A video postcard from the Bullseye Gallery gives a preview of the pages of scientific research books, the beauty of the environment, and a peek into Nachison's process.

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