Our choice of clothing is a signifier to the world of our values, our creativity, our desires, and our socio-economic status. This series of wall-hung, abstract, soft sculptures by Deborah Way examines the meanings of our outer selves that are communicated by apparel fabrics. At first fun and fanciful, the sculptures benefit from deeper contemplation for their meanings to be revealed. In these pieces, the colorful fabric forms are in contrast with dark voids, often surrounded by wire fencing. These mysterious areas are a symbol of our untidy inner selves that cannot remain hidden for long. The show includes larger and smaller works that extend from the wall onto the floor, as well as some smaller wall-hung works. The pieces complement each other while retaining individual identities. Entering the space will be like entering a child-like world of strange, colorful shapes built with familiar fabrics — ditzy ginghams, stretch cottons, polyester uniforms, plaid flannels — with a subtle, underlying sense of unease created by the darker voids. The balance created by each piece symbolizes what can be achieved when both inner and outer selves are in tune.

ARTIST STATEMENT:

Working largely in the medium of soft sculpture, I make work that is a physical manifestation of what we hide and what we cannot help but reveal. Colorful and playful at first glance, the work can be seen to illustrate the secret fears that are alleviated when allowed to be examined. I explore the interaction between what our civilized, outer selves present to the world while our inner selves roil messily beneath.

I choose materials such as fabric, wire, and papier-mâché because they are familiar and invite touch while calling to mind the human form. Fabrics are chosen with the intent to induce nostalgia or conjure specific familial figures. To induce a feeling of tension, I enjoy using contrasting elements, such as hard and soft or bright and dark. The overall balance obtained by each piece is a symbol of what we can accomplish when both inner and outer selves are in tune.

BIO

Deborah Way is a contemporary artist living in western Massachusetts. A graduate of Hampshire College (BA) and the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MFA), she has participated in several solo and group shows, including at the A3 Gallery in Amherst and Abigail Ogilvy in Boston.