The LAB

Exhibition runs: May 13 - June 6, 2009
Opening reception: Friday, May 15, 6-9 PM
Gallery Hours: Wednesdays - Saturdays, 1-6 PM
This event takes place at The LAB, 2948 16th Street @ Capp, San Francisco

Sherri Martin creates vivid miniatures depicting the junction of arctic wilderness and human intervention. Polar bears and seals confront buoys and canoes in scenes referencing natural history dioramas, carefully crafted from found materials such as styrofoam and paper. Martin gently reminds us that conceivably these landscapes will one day become only nostalgic souvenirs. While Martin hints at the potential destruction wrought by global warming and human encroachment, the intimate scale of the pieces, and the accessible, comforting way in which these monumental scenes are rendered creates an engrossing, complicated warning. In this work, Martin draws on personal experiences of growing up in a paper mill town in the forests of Ontario, and her understanding of the delicate balance struck by a community enriched by natural beauty, but economically reliant on natural resources.