It may be called Not Another Word., but the installation that has transformed the upper gallery in Rowe Arts is full of words. They are painted on walls, inscribed on mirrors, affixed to windows, engraved in plywood.
“Language is my medium and the semiotics embodied by written words fascinates me,” says local artist Renee Cloud, whose work is on view in Rowe through October 23. “My work capitalizes on the consumption of language. In my work I use text as a direct line of communication to establish a secure connection with the viewer. While interpretations of the words can vary, it is fact that they are words, none the less.”
Cloud’s site-specific installation is a reflection on the challenges that 2020 has brought.
“I set out to create this body of work that kinds of relates to the themes of 2020,” she said in a virtual presentation to UNC Charlotte students. “Stress, obviously, introspection, just the need for connection or the desire for connection, and then also learning to live in solitude.”
Cloud grew up in Charlotte and received her BFA in Studio Art from Appalachian State University. Since 2016, she has been a collective artist with Goodyear Arts. Learn more at her website.
Until campus reopens on October 1, Rowe Galleries are open by appointment. Please contact Assistant Director of Galleries Heather Felts at hfelts@uncc.edu to schedule a visit.
Cloud has presented two walk-through discussions of her work. Visit the Department of Art & Art History YouTube playlist to watch.