Something Beautiful and Considered

Susan White’s latest exhibition, The Untangling, debuts this month at Studios Inc after a year of introspection. Through her current practice, White seeks to offer “a field of meditation, in an effort to untangle our country and our lives.” Her body of work consists of pyrographs inspired by the springtime burning of the prairie, paintings, and large-scale installations made with thorns from the honey locust tree. 

For The Untangling, White references her thorn works through a series of gestural, monochromatic paintings. The jagged, asymmetrical mark-making conjures images of barbed wire and turbulent wind, conveying a sense of darkness and turmoil that feels poignant and reflective in this moment of national reckoning. During the pandemic, these works have functioned “like black holes that absorb the worry and concern,” says White, “offering tracks and traces of this tumultuous year.” While these somber pieces suggest an aura of melancholy and contemplativeness, they also convey a sense of resilience and growth through their branching organic thorns. Much like our current crisis, the formidable honey locust tree is difficult to approach, but with patience, the proper tools, and some imagination, they can provide the building blocks for something beautiful and considered. 

Susan White is in her third and final year of residency at Studios Inc. White will be participating in ArtsKC’s Thursday Night Arts series, and will present the exhibition on January 28th via Zoom, broadcasted live from the exhibition hall at Studios Inc. The Untangling opens to the public January 22nd and closes on March 6th.

~ Written by Studios Inc intern, Sydney Smith