erika olson : floriculture
emerging aritst series: third floor atrium gallery
August 20, 2005 - October 23, 2005
Erika Olson (MFA, Minneapolis College of Art and Design) constructs intricate and vibrant paintings of flowers, plants, and other natural elements with a distinct nod to both contemporary design and the decorative arts. Working directly on lacquered plywood with hyper-clean execution, Olson creates a dialogue between the natural and the artificial, creating new realities where the influences of each can freely mingle and initiate change. Also producing felt sculptures in Plexiglas vitrines, Olson investigates the scientific and cultural notions of containment, reproducibility, and exclusivity, commenting on the desire to replicate and enclose nature for exclusive purposes.