Fix Yourself A Plate: Recent works by Heather Dunaway

August 1st – October 21st || 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. || Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art

In her solo exhibition ‘Fix Yourself A Plate” artist Heather Rene Dunaway explores her southern inheritance, generational trauma and the affects they have on mother-daughter relationships as well as mental health issues, including disordered eating. Through this lens, Dunaway as a mixed artist has created collaged and quilted works by utilizing found, nostalgic materials, such as her grandmother’s fabrics, cyanotype reprints of old family photos, and portraits she has painted to create visuals of shared stories. This body of work outlines the similarities in struggles faced over generations and the differences in paths taken to reconcile trauma. Materials used in this series hold special meaning to the artist and are used symbolically and metaphorically.

In her installation “Fix Yourself A Plate”, Dunaway uses her grandmother’s wicker picnic plates and stand-in for a vintage rattan peacock chair her mother once posed for a photo in, to create a think space that addresses southern food culture and diet culture.

Opening Reception & Artist talk: Friday, August 16th || 5 – 7 p.m. ||

Second Reception: Friday, September 6th || 5 – 7 p.m. ||