Artist's Reception: Saturday, April 16th, 2022 5-8pm
SHOH Gallery is thrilled to present Multitude, a powerful and sublime experiential sculptural installation by Oakland artist, Gillian Garro. Multitude is a grouping of ancestor figures intended to evoke a sense of our shared ancestry and the energy/spirit that moves endlessly forward through us all from the beginning of time into the distant future. The figures are vessels that welcome this energy, appearing as husks, skins or clothing of souls that once lived inside or perhaps linger just out of sight.
These life-sized works are created using the ancient technique of applying warm water, soap and many hours of handwork to coax the wool fibers into strong cloth. Felting is the oldest form of cloth-making and pre-dates woven fabric enhancing the timelessness and reverence which this installation elicits.
"I believe that everything I consider to be me - my strong hands, my wounded heart, my terror, my amazing sentience - has been gifted by these ancestors and is mine to steward for this brief lifetime." - Gillian Garro