Conditions for an Unfinished Work of Mourning: Beauty as an Appeal to Join the Majority of Those Who Are Dead

"During a summer 2017 residency in Spain, near the border of France, Roe worked outside each day, exploring the natural terrain, its rocks, shadows, and natural vegetation. Like the groundbreaking artist Nancy Holt, who produced her own distinctive response to light and topography, Roe cultivates a personal relationship with nature—a bond that is dedicated, ongoing, and often tied to mourning [..]. In Catalonia, Roe further linked to the historical past and to memorials, the physical area covered by the artist encompasses the forests near the footpath where philosopher Walter Benjamin traveled before his suicide in Portbou. Roe resuscitates the past and sheds light on lesser known histories, specifically here, the role of women in the creation of cyanotypes, a critical process to the development of photography’s history and recognition as an art form. [British botanist] Anna Atkins published British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions in 1843. British Algae included more than 400 cyanotypes and became the first publication solely illustrated by photography." Dr. Amy Galpin Curatorial text from the exhibition catalogue, Time as Landscape: Inquiries of Art and Science Cornell Fine Arts Museum | September 29 - December 31, 2017 LINK TO FULL PROJECT AND VIDEOS: http://dawnroe.com/conditions.html