Of Water Too Are the Grasses

Irene Pantelis
Curated by Aneta Georgievska-Shine

Wednesday, October 25th through Saturday, November 18th, 2023

“The works in this show were inspired by lawns and weeds, like the ones found in my suburban neighborhood in Maryland. As I begun to look more carefully at these ordinary bits of nature, my drawings unearthed a connection with childhood memories of long summers in the countryside of Uruguay, immersed in the grasslands of the pampas. The works also brought to my mind the increasing scarcity of underground water that all grasses need to thrive, the proliferation of toxins in our soil, and the promise of the simple grass as a viable tool for capturing carbon dioxide. As I drew these grassy subjects from North and South, water became a catalyst in my process. Brushing on a clear grid of tap water on the paper, I wove ink and other marks in and out of the fluid foundation. I allowed these tenuous streams to trickle on, making connections, disrupting, pooling together, creating barriers. Within my clumps of grass, water underwent many changes, like a mirror, taking on all manner of tones and viscosities from its surroundings, even evaporating into thin air.”

 

All along
Sumi, walnut ink, watercolor on vellum
40” x 60”
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The dry world knew to stay wet
Sumi, walnut ink, watercolor on vellum
60” x 40”
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Of water too are the grasses/De agua somos
Sumi ink and color pencils on vellum
60” x 36”
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Water replenishes all the parts
Sumi ink on vellum
60” x 36”
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Give and take
Inks and acrylic on vellum
60” x 36”
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Weeping grass/El pastito que Ilobra
Inks and watercolor on vellum papers
24” x 19”
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We are the clovers in your lawn
Sumi, walnut ink on vellum papers
24” x 19”
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Thankful for all your careful care
24” x 19”
Sumi ink on vellum
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An thou shalt find me
Sumi ink on vellum
24” x 19”
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No turmoil on sight
Sumi ink on vellum
24” x 19”
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A couple dozen grasses
Ink, acrylic paints on vellum
36” x 20”
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Hooves and heads
Sumi, walnut ink, watercolor on vellum
36 x 20 inches
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The worm still slumbered there
Sumi ink on vellum
24” x 19”
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Desde abajo
Polylactic acid filament
12” x 12” x 15”
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String trimming
Walnut ink and watercolor on vellum
14” x 11”
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Look for me under your boot-soles
Walnut ink and watercolor on vellum
20” x 36”
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La bosta
Sumi ink on vellum
14” x 11”
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An inch of sod
Sumi ink on vellum
14” x 11”
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Low sweet notes
Sumi ink, watercolor on vellum
14” x 11”
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A grass uprooted can no longer hug the ground
Sumi ink on vellum papers
19” x 6”
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Luscious soils
Sumi ink, watercolor on vellum papers
14” x 11”
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The weed gone, the grass bled
Watercolor on vellum papers
19” x 6”
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