As truth & fantasy seem to be switching places in recent times, it occurred to Miesch that fantasy was in danger. Flatland Revisited is her mish-mash of two very different fantastical realms. Flatland, a fiction story by 19th century mathematician, Edwin Abbot, in which men are polygons & women are lines, has long been a source of inspiration. A recurring image/symbol is a woman emerging from the pinprick point with which she can see in Flatland, taking on an actual dimensional form as she journeys into the world. White rabbits & Wonderland are another inspiration.This exhibition examines themes from these disparate sources, with a new story emerging. Painting, sculpture, photography and felt media are brought together, and may alter its course from the start to the completion of the exhibition.
This exhibition marks the first time Miesch will present her works formally at Lydia Street Gallery. By bringing together various media and blending older works with new, she hopes to delve further into the realm of fantasy and bring the viewer along for the ride. From “fake news” and conspiracy theories to the advent of artificial intelligence, there are numerous threats to truth, reality, and our biosphere in these tumultuous times. The disappearance of wilderness seems to be a daily threat. Born on Earth Day, Miesch has long focused on social, political, and environmental themes in her work.
Miesch isn’t ready to concede defeat. The viewer will find altered globes, Flatland portals (yes, it’s also an oblique reference to the unbelievable phenomena of flat earthers), thrones for the medieval sword-wielding white rabbit, the artist’s daughter/”Alice” in portraits spanning her life, and portals of nature and nether realms – an amalgamation of worlds real & imagined. She reminds us to pay attention to the world we live in, notice each moment, appreciate beauty, and recognize when we step into the unreal.
BIO
Born in Houston, she has lived in Irving, TX; Algiers, Algeria; Algiers in New Orleans, LA; Dallas, TX; Chicago, IL; and has lived in Austin for 32 non consecutive years. Deanna Miesch is the owner of Lydia Street Gallery (2021- present) and Art Therapy Austin (2003 – present). She holds a BFA in Studio art ’91 from UT Austin & an MAAT in Art Therapy ’96 from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her work has been exhibited in various Texas cities, Chicago & Rome, Italy. Her work has been reviewed in numerous publications, including Art Forum International. She published a book of her photography in 2018.
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