Exquisite Entanglement featured in the Boston Globe

Our twice-postponed exhibition (first due to the pandemic, second due to last summer’s fire) Exquisite Entanglement is now finally on view. We are so proud of this moving two-person exhibition featuring the work of Yuko Oda and Allison Maria Rodriguez, which includes a window installation by Oda and the first four-channel video installation shown at 13FOREST by Rodriguez.

We were also grateful to have this exhibition recognized in a recent article in the Boston Globe. Correspondent Katie Mogg spoke to Rodriguez and Oda about their work as artists and activists. Rodriguez’ installation Once in a Lifetime began as a chance encounter with a beached blue whale in Costa Rica. “Rodriguez wants her work in ‘Exquisite Entanglement’ to serve as a memorial to the whale, but also to the piece of humanity that is lost when we live a lifestyle that kills fellow creatures on Earth. ‘The idea of this exquisite entanglement sort of plays on the tension that there is between everything being interconnected and how beautiful that is, but also how detrimental that has been to our planet,’ Rodriguez said. ‘We’ve been destroying and marching toward our own destruction.’”

While Rodriguez’ work is grounded in actual experience, Oda’s work is based on an imagined alternate future: “Oda’s contribution to ‘Exquisite Entanglement’ includes a series of images depicting the end of nature as we know it, as well as a surreal interpretation of nature’s resilience. ‘The work that I’m showing, it ends up being about the calamities of what’s happening to nature and then its resilience and ability to heal itself,’ Oda said. ‘It is about awakening our senses and perception.’”

You can read the full text of the article here, and please join us for the opening reception for Exquisite Entanglement on Saturday, August 6, from 4-6 pm.

United We Stand

Celebrating Fourth of July this year is especially fraught after the recent Supreme Court rulings on abortion rights, gun control and environmental regulation. These decisions will have a dire impact on the lives of millions of Americans, leaving many in this country feeling scared and angry. Facing this new affront to our civil rights, coupled with the shocking revelations about the prior administration being uncovered on a daily basis, we turn once again to art to help us understand and think critically about the state of our country. To this end, we thought it important to showcase the work of Adrienne Sloane, who has been working on a new series incorporating puzzle pieces that reflects the uncertainty and absurdity of our current political climate. Culture Wars and United We Stand will be on view at 13FOREST through July 16.

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Adrienne Sloane, Culture Wars, painted wood, cardboard, plastic, tin box

Culture Wars is a natural outgrowth of my custom puzzle series coupled with the political commentary of much of my work. Unfortunately, our increasingly polarized national political landscape seems less concerned with the good of the country and the rule of law, instead becoming an extremist strategic game dominated by false claims of a stolen 2020 election. Recent decisions by a right wing Supreme Court only add to the erosion of civic and civil responsibilities we have as citizens of these United States.

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Adrienne Sloane, United We Stand, knit fiber, puzzle pieces, cardboard, plastic, magnets

United We Stand The country is riven in ways not seen since the Civil War. Two years of pandemic coupled with the increasing disastrous effects of climate change, make it hard to understand how the country will resolve these differences without dissolving into a river of blood. Working in puzzles along with fiber, my original medium, this piece is a natural evolution of my interest in challenging viewers by presenting interpretations of the current political landscape as I see it.

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An open letter of thanks

At the end of August in 2021, a fire broke out in the café next to the gallery. We were lucky to sustain little damage to our building and to the artwork on display, but repairs were slow and would take several months to complete. The pandemic had already presented many challenges to our gallery and to the larger arts community. When it began, like many small businesses we were unsure of what the future would hold; however we quickly saw the collective need for art grow through difficult days of isolation and uncertainty. Thanks to our supportive community of art lovers, 13FOREST persevered and, with that support bolstering us, we knew we would be able to keep the gallery going through this latest challenge.

Though our space would be closed for months while awaiting repairs, we wanted to continue supporting our artists and bringing art to the community. Just a week after the fire, we held our annual pop-up in Provincetown. When we returned, we temporarily moved to the lower level of the headquarters of Food Link, an Arlington nonprofit that graciously welcomed us for what would become six months. Today, more than eight months after the fire, our home on Mass Ave is finally ready for our return. Thank you to everyone who stuck with us and continuously encouraged us. We cannot wait to celebrate our reopening with you!

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Object Permanence - new series by Catherine Graffam

Painter Catherine Graffam has developed a new series of thought-provoking paintings that combine the instantaneous quality of Polaroid photography and the slower, more reflective process of painting to explore the nature of memory and the experience of memory fading away. Read Graffam’s thoughts about her Object Permanence series below.

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object permanence n.7 (sarah in the kitchen), acrylic gouache on Polaroid

A Polaroid is the closest a photograph can be to a painting. Each integral film Polaroid ever taken is unique and impossible to truly reproduce since the first SX-70 model entered the public’s hands in 1972. “Integral film” is the fancy term for the proprietary white bordered, square(ish), instant photo we imagine when we hear the word “Polaroid.” Each integral film Polaroid photo contains a pod of chemicals underneath the larger border on the bottom that spreads developer, dyes, and acid layered together in a secret sauce beneath the plastic when the photo is squeezed through the rollers at the mouth of the camera. This process bakes the image into the chemical baklava as the chemicals work their magic, resulting in every single photo being not just an image, but a unique tangible object. So sure, today you could scan a Polaroid photo using a Epson Perfection V500 flatbed scanner at 1200dpi, open it in Adobe Photoshop CC, edit it to be as close as visibly possible on a two dimensional plane on a 24 inch high definition IPS display, then have it sent to be printed inside a perfect bound book by high quality inkjet printers en masse to exact scale and color...But just like if you were to do this to a painting, it would not fully reproduce it.

However, where the important distinction lies between a painting and an integral film Polaroid photo is what a Polaroid captures versus a painting. The development process of a Polaroid is not completely instantaneous, the image exposed is. Though instantaneous, a Polaroid never actually captures the present, only the immediate past; the moment when the shutter was pressed. So when the camera spits out the photo it is actually a physical, unchangeable memory, emerging like magic. I think of a painting more as a collection of decisions compiled from memories. Even if I were to paint something directly from observation, there are still gaps in time where I am not looking at what is in front of me and I am using my short term memory combined with my built up knowledge of paint to recreate it from my mind’s eye on the canvas.

object permanence n.18 (horses gathered in the woods), acrylic gouache on Polaroid

Sometimes what a Polaroid has recorded is at odds with how I remember the moment I took it. I notoriously have a terrible memory, and have to be constantly reminded of important events involving my flesh body that I have no recollection of. A diving catch to win a baseball game, funerals of family members and birthday parties I attended, the names of basically anyone I meet for the first 9 times. It is not for a lack of emotional investment, I am an overwhelmingly sentimental person. My sentimentality only seems to manifest with objects, as my filing cabinets would confess. I collect things as an overcompensation for my lack of ability to remember things of significance, keeping them as trigger objects so that I can keep at least a slice of my past retained.

In the summer of 2021 I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder after an entire lifetime of struggling with debilitating symptoms. There is a phenomenon amongst people with ADHD where we can lack what is colloquially referred to as “object permanence.” Object permanence is clinically the concept of fundamental development in young children that refers to gaining the ability to recognize that items and people still exist even when they can’t be seen or heard. Folks with ADHD don’t literally think objects or people disappear when they are out of sight, but it refers to the inability to remember that they are there. For instance, if I use a pair of scissors and put it in a drawer when I’m finished, I may forget that there is a pair of scissors in the house entirely when I end up needing them again. I have found that this extends to digital photos as well. I have over 10,000 saved images in cloud storage taken on my phone over the last 5 years but because they are tucked away in a folder within a virtual drive accessible only by a website I forget not only that the photos themselves exist, but all the memories meant to be saved by them.

object permanence n.3 (my hand), acrylic gouache on Polaroid

Through the process of marrying both painting and a tangible instant photo, I want to capture what it feels like to lose memories to time; parts of a mental image fading away or obscured and difficult to parse, unimportant details truly disappeared. Many of the painted layers of the pieces from this series were done weeks or months after the photo was taken. I hide them from myself to let my internal memory naturally loosen and forget details of the scene. Then, when met with those details upon reviewing the photos I will start by degrading them.

Catherine Graffam

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13FOREST Holiday Pop-up

Due to the fire that occurred in the café next to 13FOREST on August 28, we have temporarily closed our location at 167A Massachusetts Avenue until repairs can be made and we can reopen. However we have opened a pop-up nearby at 108 Summer Street in Arlington in the lower level of the Food Link Hub.

Although this is not a typical retail location, it is a great space for us to get reestablished as we navigate the fire remediation process. You can drop in to view our great selection of fine art and gifts, or make an appointment if there is something specific you are looking for. We hope to see you soon!

Hours

Wed - Sat, 12-6 pm or by appointment

Location

108 Summer Street
Arlington, Mass. 02474

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How to find us

Our holiday pop-up is located on the lower level of the Food Link Hub. Please enter the building through the front entrance on Summer Street - you will see our logo in the window. From there, follow the signs leading downstairs to our temporary space. We ask that you please make sure not to enter any areas where Food Link staff and volunteers are working; we would hate to interrupt the important work they are doing. If you are having trouble finding us, please call us at 781.641.3333.

 

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Parking

There is street parking available on Summer Street in front of the Food Link Hub (see right). Although there are two lots on either side of the building, those spaces are reserved for Food Link vehicles and we ask that you please not park there.

Available parking at 108 Summer Street

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An Update About 13FOREST Gallery

Early in the morning of Saturday, August 28, there was a fire at Thrive Café next door to the gallery. While the fire did not enter our space, we have suffered water and smoke damage inside the gallery. We are so grateful to the Arlington Fire Department, who put out the fire quickly; to their great credit, the firefighters entered the gallery and moved our artwork out of harm's way, preventing much more extensive damage. We were very lucky that no one was injured, and that damage to the artwork seems minimal so far; however, we will need to remain closed for the foreseeable future until our space can be repaired and treated for smoke exposure. You can read more about the fire here.

Through this challenging past year and a half we have been overwhelmed by your support for our gallery and our artists. We are so grateful to have been able to keep bringing art to the Boston community in these difficult times. With this new challenge ahead of us, we hope we can continue to count on your support. Although we are deeply saddened by this event and its effects on our artists, we are highly motivated to keep the gallery running virtually, and to re-open our physical space as soon as possible. As we learn more about what it will take to re-open, we will keep you updated with new developments. At 13FOREST we are deeply passionate about our mission to showcase the best artists that New England has to offer, and we hope to get back to doing that in person as soon as we can.

Essence in Artscope

We are so excited to have our current exhibition Essence: In Celebration of Juneteenth featured in the July/August issue of Artscope magazine. KT Browne of the magazine spoke with guest curator Cedric “Vise1” Douglas about his intentions behind the show: “These [artists] are trailblazers, and my hope is that the audience walks away with a curiosity about who these people are.”

Read the full article here, or keep an eye out for the print edition, which will be available soon in the gallery.

2021 Father's Day Gift Guide

Need something more unique for Dad this year than a tie or grill accessories? We’ve got some great suggestions for you in our online shop - check them out below! You can choose in-store pick-up to make sure you get your gift just in time.

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2021 Mother's Day Gift Guide

Spring is here and things are starting to look up in the world. After a difficult year, make sure to let Mom know how much you appreciate her with a special surprise for Mother’s Day.

We’ve curated a selection of great gifts in our online shop - you can buy online and pick up in store or have it shipped directly to Mom. We also have even more things in the gallery than are available online - stop by or make an appointment to browse our selection before Mother’s Day on May 9.

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Drawing inspiration from nature, Kimberley Huestis of Porcelain and Stone designs delicate and charming porcelain jewelry accented with 22k gold.

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After a year of being stuck at home, Carlos Santiago’s colorful and expressive floral still lifes bring some much needed color into the home.

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Each hand-painted piece of porcelain Françoise Han pottery is unique, making it the perfect special gift for someone who appreciates function and beauty.

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Rebecca Lockhart’s sleek and modern jewelry is made out of unlikely materials - industrial manufacturing components. Lockhart adds a bright pop of color for extra fun.

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Mark Luiggi’s whimsical Alpha Blocks series combines children’s block toys with miniature drawings to create a unique decorative object that will brighten Mom’s day.

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A Cape Cod institution since the 1950’s, Jobi Pottery has long been a favorite for those looking to give a unique New England gift. We are proud to be the only venue off the Cape where you can find these delightful hand painted ceramics. With a range of styles and colors, this pottery is great for any occasion.

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Featuring a series of charming vignettes, Amy Keller’s mini prints attached to wooden blocks and covered with a thin layer of wax are perfect for adding some cheer to small spaces.

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Valentine's Day Gift Guide

If you’re looking for something unique to give your loved ones this Valentine’s Day we’ve got the perfect thing, from traditional gifts like jewelry to something more quirky like a gyotaku octopus print. Browse our online gift guide below for some inspiration!

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Painter Karla Quattrocchi uses bold blocks of color and unconventional materials to create her charming paintings.

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Maeve Mueller’s delicate porcelain jewelry can add a touch of glamour to any outfit.

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Beverly Carter uses a variety of decorative techniques, from screen printing to saggar firing, to create the beautiful designs on her ceramic vessels.

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Caitlin Duennebier uses humor to infuse every one of her sculptures with a compelling personality.

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Gyotaku is the traditional Japanese printmaking technique that Stephanie Mason uses to create her delightful octopus prints.

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Wendy Jo New’s hand-crafted designs are perfect for anyone who loves whimsy and a pop of color.

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A Cape Cod classic, Jobi Pottery’s colorful and functional pottery makes a great gift for everyone. We just returned from a quick trip down to Truro and came back with over 80 new pieces!

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