LAURA BATTLE
Atlas, 2009. Etching. 30 x 42 in. Edition of 25
Laura Battle describes her work as “exploring the potential of geometry to offer an optically charged mental space in which to explore universal visual language.” She draws inspiration from myriad sources, including: diagrams of the universe, mathematical configurations, maps and charts, esoteric manuscripts, and her visits to India, especially Jantar Mantar Observatory.
For her work with printmaking, Battle creates a unique world within each print. Her linear style of drawing translates beautifully to the hardground technique of etching.
These large etchings were a labor of love for the artist, whose intricate drawing style lends itself perfectly to the qualities of the etched line.
In “Atlas” she draws intricate arching lines similar to those found on an “astrolabe”, an antiquated mariner’s navigation tool from the 16th century.
Love Letter, 2009. Etching. 30 x 42 in. Edition of 25
In “Love Letter” the artist creates a “sampler” of drawing motifs that surround the inner image of a heart. Some of the imagery surrounding the central heart suggests an eye, or a star, as if the playful nature of love were depicted in an ever-changing graphic language.
Luna, 2009. Etching. 30 x 42 in. Edition of 25
For “Luna”, the artist abstracts the graphic language of 18th Century astronomer’s maps depicting phases of the moon, evoking a meditative linear rhythm that reveals itself through sustained viewing.
Wabi-sabi, 2009. Etching. 30 x 42 in. Edition of 25
In “Wabi-sabi”, the artist borrows from Japanese aesthetics the notion of “wabi-sabi”, which embraces the idea of the transient nature of all things. The juxtaposition of wheels, stars, rays, and pyramids in this print creates a constantly moving dance of imagery. It is as if we are being directed to engage in one image, only to be optically tugged away to the next, one after the other.
B. 1957 CAIRO, EGYPT
Laura Battle received her BFA at Rhode Island School of Design, Painting and her MFA at the Yale School of Art, Painting. Her work involves rigorous mapping out of a personal cosmogony. Her use of an intricate geometry describes a world of heightened order and emotive energy. With her large-scale etchings, she embraces the viewer with a calming yet activated landscape of the mind.
Battle's work has been exhibited at Lohin Geduld Gallery, New York; The American Academy of Arts and Letters; Bard College, Annandale, NY; Pennsylvania College of Art and Design, Lancaster, PA; Opus 40 Art Center, Saugerties, NY; Platform Project Space, Brooklyn, NY; Rafius Fane Gallery, Boston, MA; Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY; Magenta Plains Gallery, New York, NY; Pamela Salisbury Gallery, Hudson, NY; Byrdcliffe Kleinert Gallery, Woodstock, NY; NYU Steinhardt Gallery, New York, NY; and Atelier du Caire, Cairo, Eygpt.
She is in the collection of Vassar College; American Academy of Arts and Letters; Rhode Island School of Design Museum; Library of Congress; NYU Langone Art Program; American Embassy in Kerzakstan; American Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan; American Embassy in Bulgaria; American Embassy in Jeddah; The Progressive Corporation; and Metropolitan Transit Authority, Arts in Transit, Burnside Avenue. She has been a recipient of the Fulbright Fellowship, MacDowell Colony, National Endowment for the Arts, Arts for Transit MTA New York, National Academy Museum, and American Academy of Arts and Letters.