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Overwintering, 2007
November 23, 2007- February 10, 2008
Janet Koenig

Overwintering, 2007
detail

Janet Koenig turns our gaze to the plight and survival of small creatures in winter. Inserted within recessed crescent spaces resembling tiny shelters out of reach above each of the doors of the reception area. Overwintering features three scenes which contrast ways that smaller creatures cope with freezing winters. In one scene, a solitary insect, soon to be a Swallowtail butterfly, passes the winter in the dormant state of a pupa anchored to a twig in an urban park. In another scene, a cluster of Monarch butterflies congregate into large, relatively inactive groups following an exhaustive annual migration to remote mountainous regions of Mexico, now tourist destinations. Lastly, the small creatures that seek to survive the cold in warm, human habitations are represented by the house mouse and the house spider. Meticulously crafted from molded polystyrene foam, paper and wire, the realism of Koenig’s highly detailed dioramas invites us to share the solitude, struggle, and strength of these small animals, each a visual fable reflecting the various ways that we humans survive the holidays.

 
Overwintering, 2007 detail
Paper, styrene, papier mâché, wire
12 x 42 x 4 inches
Courtesy of the artist
 
Overwintering, 2007 detail
Paper, styrene, papier mâché, wire
12 x 42 x 4 inches
Courtesy of the artist
 
Printable Version