By: Anna Roberts
In her artist statement Margi Weir talks about how her body of work, The Politics of Hue, is not meant to change anyone’s opinion on the chosen socio-political topic. Rather, Weir wants viewers to leave questioning their own thoughts. This exhibition, located at the Dedo Maranville Fine Arts Gallery in Valdosta, Georgia, like many of her work, has underlying meaning to it. All the works presented in the gallery involved Weir’s response to and engagement with the world around her. Her works are visually inviting to the viewer. The repetitive patterns and bold color make viewers wonder how deep the symbolism goes behind her pieces. Many of her works are based around the idea of textiles, or rather stitching together digital patterns to make them visually appealing. She brings these ideas to life by using acrylic, Plexiglas, and vinyl.
Acrylic on Plexi surrounded by vinyl on wall
March 7, 2020
Margi Weir
A standout piece in this exhibition is Black is…; this piece focuses on the Black Lives Matter movement. The piece itself is black and white with hints of a soft yellow wood. The text in the piece reads: “Black is beautiful. Black is a color without hue. Black is the night. Black is… BLACK LIVES MATTER.” For those unfamiliar with the Black Lives Matter movement, it is a campaign against violence and systematic racism towards black people. In the United States this movement has gained major popularity in the past ten years. This piece is very straightforward with the meaning behind it, while many of her other pieces do not have a blatant meaning.
Acrylic on Plexi surrounded by vinyl on wall
March 7, 2020
Margi Weir
Often Margi Weir explores sensitive topics. Though not all her pieces lead to an obvious meaning, all of them contain hidden symbolism. Some of the symbolism presented is very serious, while others may have a playful take on the chosen topic. In her piece Orange Crush, she includes various items such as basketballs, bottles of Sunkist, President Donald Trump, and butterflies. The focal point of the piece is two hunters aiming for each other with an orange, the fruit, in the middle of them. This piece contains more subtle symbolism compared to Black is….
In order to view Margi Weir’s exhibition, one should have a willingly open mind. Her works take you through many thought processes and will leave you puzzled. Often, viewers of her work are left questioning the meaning(s) of her pieces. This is not a bad thing; however, with some explanation her work would fully awaken and be easier to follow. The inviting colors and space in this exhibition will leave the viewer thinking about it after leaving the space.
Anna Roberts is a senior Art Education student at Valdosta State. After graduation she plans to pursue a career in secondary art education.