When Old Faiths Die

Emily Wingert, Senior Art Thesis Exhibition

Welcome to Emily Wingerts's online showcase.

Artist Statement 

In the natural realms of our world there remains a mystical force, masked faces peering from the unknown. I see them, in the glowing embers of a campfire dancing toward the beckoning of gilded stars against the deep void of the night sky. A light being distorted through a patterned glass, wind scattering a handful of ambered leaves onto passersby, the absolute and crushing silence on the night of heavy snowfall.

For many indigenous cultures throughout the world a central part of every tradition was religious rituals which often made use of masks. These masks were representational of everything from the ancestral to the supernatural, and usually had an inherent connection to the natural world.

The Masks were worn by those with a magical understanding of the natural realm. They often believed these were inhabited by the being that was represented. Because of this, masks were believed to contain an ethereal energy.

As these faiths die do the spirits within the masks that were worshipped disappear? My work explores the possibility of a new group of deities or possibly an unknown group from the past, characterized by masks these beings inhabit the world in which we live in today.

About the Artist

Born and raised in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Emily Wingert spent much of her time in nature or delving into a world of fantasy through books, movies, and games. She has completed a Bachelor of Arts, with Studio Arts Major with a focus on printmaking at the University of Dallas.

Armed with her trusty orange backpack, camera, and a handful of good friends Wingert plans to travel and continue to spend more time in nature. To follow her studio practice check out her Instagram page @em.printed and artist website www.emilywingert.com

For all the images in the exhibition visit here. 

GALLERY OF WORK

 Hanging Vines from the Swamp

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_screenprint

Emerging from the Water

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_screenprint

The Encounter 

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_screenprint

Among the Aspens

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_{steel and patina}

Totem

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_{wood, fiber, and pinecone}

For all the images in the exhibition When Old Faiths Die visit here.