PROJECT: JOY CURTIS, Celestial Bodies

Joy Curtis states, “I adapted my current way of working to an outdoor setting. I increased its scale to that of a prehistoric animal rather than that of a human being. I wanted the work to hold the space between two trees.
Originally, this work was sited at the Al Held Foundation for River Valley Art Collective’s On the Grounds on a mountainside overlooking a valley. It was shown in the summer, and its constellations map a section of the summer night sky visible
to us in the Northeast. It wears a rainbow bead necklace that makes an ellipse.
Much of Celestial Bodies was constructed and tested here at Stoneleaf Retreat. It was dyed with natural dyes in primary colors including indigo, madder, and Osage orange (yellow), with iron modifiers. I knew the colors would change with exposure to the elements and was curious.
I brought Celestial Bodies back to Stoneleaf Retreat to continue changing. I altered its orientation, greeting the viewer with a tondo high in the trees depicting constellations. The being and the necklace are elsewhere along the path to be discovered.” 

JOY CURTIS was an artist-in-residence in partnership with the River Valley Arts Collective and Al Held Foundation in 2021.