The Center for Book Arts Opens "Bethany Collins: Occasional Verse"
New York - The Center for Book Arts will feature Bethany Collins as a part of the Feature Artist Project series through a series of seven works. The medium of book arts serves as the vessel for Collins exploration of evolving ideals held by the American People as well as observation of the isolation of manipulated language.
As a part of the Feature Artist Project, Collins has gathered 100 verses of Rev. Samuel E. Smith’s My Country ‘Tis of Thee, all of which were written over a two century period. Each lyric erases a previous and highlights a newfound cause passionately held by the American People. Alongside America: A Hymnal are works from her Contronym series, altered dictionaries and encyclopedias, each refusing in its own way a singularity of meaning. With seven total works in the exhibition, Collins showcases herself as a bold addition to the Featured Artist Project Series.
Bethany Collins is a multidisciplinary artist whose conceptually driven work is fueled by a critical exploration of how race and language interact. Her works have been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions nationwide. Collins has been recognized as an Artist-in-Residence at the Studio Museum in Harlem, the MacDowell Colony, the Bemis Center and the Hyde Park Art Center among others. In 2015, she was awarded the Hudgens Prize.
Occasional Verse will be on display at The Center for Book Arts in New York until June 30, 2018 and an artist talk and reception will be held June 8, 6:30 pm.
