With Every Fiber of Our Being by Soraya Navia
On view in the Visitor & Administration Building
September 22 through December 27, 2020
With Every Fiber of Our Being is an ocean conservation-focused exhibition that invites us to reflect on the issue of pollution from the perspective of the marine animals directly impacted by plastic waste. Fiber artist and graphic designer Soraya Navia transforms everyday materials into upcycled canvases that become both the foundation and inspiration for hand-embroidered portraits of underwater life.
This exhibition is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
Artist Statement
Art in the Garden: With Every Fiber of Our Being by Soraya Navia
Our capacity to effect meaningful change begins with our ability to comprehend the nature of what needs changing. With Every Fiber of Our Being is an ocean conservation-focused exhibition that invites us to reflect on the issue of pollution from the perspective of the marine animals directly impacted by plastic waste. Fiber artist and graphic designer Soraya Navia transforms everyday materials into upcycled canvases that become both the foundation and inspiration for hand- embroidered portraits of underwater life.
Through thousands of vibrant, textured stitches patiently embroidered onto unconventional backdrops, Navia captures the beautiful resiliency of wildlife fighting to survive in a sea of pervasive plastic. The animals featured have been deliberately chosen and paired with the single-use objects that often strain their real-life counterparts. Many of these animals are native to our bustling New York seascape, one of the world’s most diverse marine environments.
What emerges is a poignant collection of images that tell the story of an ecosystem challenged, but not beaten, by the weight of what we discard. At the heart of Navia’s work is an uplifting call to action rooted in the idea that where there is empathy, there is hope. There are more microplastics in our ocean than stars in our galaxy, but no matter how dire, when there are people willing to better understand and viscerally experience situations not their own, there is boundless potential for increased sustainability and lasting conservation. All it takes is to begin, with one actionable step (or intentional stitch) at a time.
This exhibition is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
Arte en el Jardín: Con Cada Fibra de Nuestro Ser por Soraya Navia
Nuestra capacidad para efectuar cambios significativos comienza con nuestra habilidad para comprender la naturaleza de lo que necesita cambiarse. Con Cada Fibra de Nuestro Ser es una exposición centrada en la conservación de los océanos que nos invita a reflexionar sobre el tema de la contaminación desde la perspectiva de los animales marinos directamente afectados por los desechos plásticos. La artista de fibras y diseñadora gráfica Soraya Navia transforma materiales cotidianos en lienzos reciclados que se convierten en la base y la inspiración para las imágenes bordadas a mano de la vida submarina.
A través de miles de puntadas vibrantes y texturizadas, bordadas pacientemente en fondos poco convencionales, Navia captura la hermosa capacidad de recuperación de la vida silvestre que lucha por sobrevivir en un mar de plástico omnipresente. Los animales han sido escogidos deliberadamente y emparejados con los objetos que a menudo dañan a sus equivalentes de la vida real. Muchos de estos animales son nativos de nuestro animado paisaje marino de Nueva York, uno de los entornos marinos más diversos del mundo.
Lo que surge es una conmovedora colección de imágenes que cuentan la historia de un ecosistema desafiado, pero no vencido, por el peso de lo que descartamos. En el centro del trabajo de Navia hay un llamado a la acción edificante arraigado en la idea de que donde hay empatía, hay esperanza. Hay más microplásticos en nuestro océano que estrellas en nuestra galaxia, pero no importa cuán terrible sea, cuando hay personas dispuestas a entender mejor y experimentar visceralmente situaciones que no son las suyas, existe un potencial ilimitado para una mayor sostenibilidad y conservación duradera. Todo lo que se necesita es comenzar, con un paso (o una puntada) a la vez.
Esta exhibición es posible (en parte) por el Queens Council on the Arts con fondos públicos del New York City Department of Cultural Affairs en asociación con el City Council.
Acknowledgment
To learn more about Queens Botanical Garden’s Art in the Garden, click here.