Vital Earthing
Janet Rodriguez
2/13/23 – 5/5/23
Science & Engineering Building, 1st and 2nd Floor Galleries
CALL MOTHER, Chia seeds, mist of water, bandage wrap, time
“Exploring themes of life, time, decay, and resilience, Vital Earthing is a series of multimedia sculptures that combine functional and non-functional materials, both living and non-living. Viewers are encouraged to connect to the work through sight and smell using their own personal experiences, memories, and associations of the natural and artificial objects within the space. Get up close to the work and let the scent of dried lavender petals lull you into comfort.
Continuous Vestige, Stretched canvas, red yarn, moss, brown mesh
We can learn from Indigenous people who interact with nature directly, including the use of smell, as a way to better understand changes in the natural world. The stretched, wrapped, and stitched nylon pieces express the disproportionate impact of climate change on people of color and the decades of putting up with its effects. The ephemerality of life and the unavoidable force of decay show the urgency of taking action now. We must make a change that will benefit everyone as well as the natural environment we live in.”
-Janet Rodriguez
Spice and Everything Nice, Dried lavender, ground cinnamon, tumeric powder, teal mesh
Janet Rodriguez is an Oregon-born multimedia artist of Mexican descent working in Vancouver, Washington. Surrounded by the greenery of the Pacific Northwest, she has combined her love for nature and art. She has a BA in Fine Arts with a Minor in Environmental Science at Washington State University Vancouver. Her work has been seen around campus in the Dengerink Gallery, the Library Gallery, and the Strouse Gallery.