"No Relation" is an exhibition of mixed media paintings by Connie Noyes currently up at the Noyes Cultural Center in Evanston through December 20th, 2012. I attended the opening on November 18th and was happy to see Connie and was intrigued by the new work. I can't say that I was surprised, as I had seen some of the work in-progress weeks ago, but I was absolutely taken with the final pieces and the narrative that went along with each. As a bit of a departure from her larger body of work, Connie digitally manipulated photographs and created layers of narratives rather than layers of materials and resin. Each piece has a title that begins with "He Said" or "She Said”, but all of them feel like the perspective of “She”. Perhaps this is because I already know that the artist is a female, or perhaps it’s because of the resounding feminist feel to the work. Everything that “He” says seems to be directed toward “her” with a tone that is void of love. “Her” words are more intro-spective and poetic. The work is painful, beautiful and relatable. The collage of textures, objects and repetitive elements create a dreamlike state that feels like a memory. The magnificent frame around each piece solidifies that memory and keeps it intact and present. I’m excited to see where this work will take Connie next. “No Relation” not only speaks to Connie’s abilities as an artist, but also her abilities as a writer and storyteller. This combination certainly makes for an impactful exhibition of work.
