EX·CUR·SIONS
(ek-skŭr-zhŏn)
A short trip taken with the intention of returning to the point of departure
Deviation from a direct, definite, or proper course
Wandering from the usual course.
From the Latin root excurrere, meaning to run out, run forth, hasten forward; project, extend
An excursion implies movement, a leisurely detour from the everyday, a change of scenery, a non-linear path. While it thrums with the promise of something new, there is also a sense of eventual return. Embarking on an excursion, a certain adaptability is required to accommodate the unforeseen and unpredictable. In ex cur sions, Marcia Grostein’s energy and range from her early career to her recent works is on display as she invites us to enter her world of exploration, revealing an oeuvre, practice, and spirit born from a desire to remain in motion.
A child born of movement; her parents immigrating to Brazil from Eastern Europe; this inclination towards action stems from a need to continuously carve out a place for herself, and takes inspiration from Merce Cunningham, whose “choreography of chance” is founded on improvisation and a search for new forms of movement. Each work is born of bodily movement, and Grostein tackles each with the simultaneous rigor and freedom of expression required of a dancer. From sculpture to video, from themes of personal loss to celebrations of multiculturalism, this desire is reflected in the mere breadth of her chosen mediums and subjects. “My work is all about intuition ... I am always changing, reworking, and moving”.
ex·cur·sion explores the symbolism of the chair as place-maker in Grostein’s work. Along with her 1981 painting, Chairs, the works included in this exhibition suggest an eventual homecoming. An homage to her mother, whom she lost in her early 20s, the motif of a chair, appearing in multiple mediums, remains salient throughout her career.
