The Teaching Gallery to Exhibit Paintings by Emerald Rose Whipple

January 8, 2018

Painting by Emerald Rose Whipple

The Teaching Gallery at Hudson Valley Community College announces Anima Mundi, a solo exhibition by New York City artist Emerald Rose Whipple. Anima Mundi, on view Feb. 1 through March 3, 2018, presents oil-on-canvas paintings that explore the connections between the spirit of youth culture and the essence of the natural world.

Whipple's work Whipple discusses her work on Thursday, Feb. 1 from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Bulmer Telecommunications Center Auditorium; a reception follows from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Teaching Gallery, located in the Administration Building on the Troy campus. Both events are free and open to the public.

Whipple is best known for her paintings of alternately pensive and frolicking young adults that document the transition from the innocence of childhood to the self-knowledge of adulthood. This exhibition surveys four years of work during which Whipple casts her subjects as allegories of themes from Eden (2013-15), Genesis (2015-16) and Plato's Phædo (2016-17). In the Eden series, the artist's fascination with youth and its culture is introduced. Genesis: Let There be Light explores the relationship between the soul and the divinity of light embodied by the subject of modern youth. Both series examine candid images of idealized youth documented during Whipple's tenure as a stylist in the fashion industry. In her most recent works, the Phædo group named for Plato's discussions on the immortality of the soul, Whipple pairs her exuberant young subjects with moody, lush landscapes that embody the artist's exploration of the concept of the transmigration of the soul.

Connecting Whipple's series is the concept of Anima Mundi, Latin for "world soul," the belief in the intrinsic connection between all living entities. Uniting her imagery and technique, this idea defines a connection between the worlds of nature and constructed humanity. Whipple's use of both photographic imagery and impressionist painting techniques strengthens the connection as the artist revisits the Impressionists' interests in agrarian landscapes and the people who were dependent upon them. The cyclic nature of agriculture and nature becomes particularly important in the artist's diptychs that pair the young and beautiful with deep green nature or historical sculpture emphasizing eternal and universal concepts.

Emerald Rose Whipple was born in California and grew up in Hawaii. Her work has been shown in the United States and internationally in solo gallery and museum exhibitions. She now lives and works in New York City.

Whipple leaves Teaching Gallery exhibitions are installed and assisted by students enrolled in Gallery Management courses. This exhibit is supported by the Department of Fine Arts, Theatre Arts and Digital Media, the Cultural Affairs Program and the Hudson Valley Community College Foundation. Associate Professor Tara Fracalossi is gallery director.

Teaching Gallery hours
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wednesday: 1 to 7 p.m.
Saturday: noon to 4 p.m.
Sunday and Monday: closed
Directions and more information: www.hvcc.edu/teachinggallery

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Founded in 1953, Hudson Valley Community College offers more than 85 associate degree and certificate programs in four schools: Business; Engineering and Industrial Technologies; Health Sciences; and Liberal Arts and Sciences, and an Educational Opportunity Center for academic and career training. One of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York system, it has an enrollment of nearly 11,500 students, and is known as a leader in distance learning initiatives and workforce training. Hudson Valley has more than 75,000 alumni.

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