Weight of the World

Kristine Mays uses hundreds of pieces of wire to create intricate sculptures that capture the human form to reflect upon what is inward. “I create the outer shell, the exterior of a human being, but provoke you to see what’s within. Memories and the way we have loved one another far outweigh our status or possessions — and yet sometimes a simple dress or a body in motion may trigger a memory from the past, allowing us to visit that which has imprinted our lives.”

“Rich Soil” at The Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens is on view from
Exhibition dates: June 26, 2021 – 9, 2022
More information about the exhibit  here.

“Rich Soil, Mays’s first ever outdoor exhibition, originally displayed at Filoli Historic House and Garden, explores the dance between life and death, as the pieces interact with the land, and draw inspiration from the movement of Alvin Ailey’s dance composition, “Revelation.” The sculptures do not speak to any one form of dance but rather to an overall sense of movement, as Mays tries to “bring out a human form through the wire to capture a gesture.” Rich Soil pays honor to the ancestors—those that walked, lived on, and tended to this land—to the lives that have been recognized and those that have been “forgotten.” These forms deliver a message of strength while challenging how we view ourselves and others; though they look fragile and soft, they are solid and strong. Within the confines of hard metal wire is a sense of resilience and perseverance—a need to push forward and thrive. The work also speaks to identity—the question of who we are and what we can do with our lives, the impact our lives have on the world.”

Now celebrating 43 years in the nation’s capital, Zenith is recognized for its unique mix of contemporary art in a wide variety of media, style, and subject. The gallery provides high-quality acquisition, art consulting, commissioning, appraisal and framing services, through its gallery/salon/ sculpture garden off 16th Street at 1429 Iris St NW, WDC 20012. Zenith also curates rotating exhibits at the Eleven Sculpture Space at 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, WDC 20004.