One Thousand Tears Exhibition

September 6- October 13th, 2018

Janet O'Neal's largest Multimedia Exhibition

One Thousand Tears Didactic

Janet O’Neal is an accomplished American multimedia artist. Her artworks can be found in over three hundred corporate and public collections nationwide, and she has received awards from the Georgia O’Keefe International Photography Competition, International Pollux Competition, and is a Julia Margaret Cameron Award Finalist. O’Neal currently lives and works in Santa Fe New Mexico.
Artspace at Untitled is fortunate to premiere One Thousand Tears as a solo exhibition. O’Neal proves herself a multidimensional artist with several different series in photography, printmaking, painting and sculpture throughout the exhibition. O’Neal draws on the personal, collective and historical past as she reminisces on loss, grief, healing and growth.
After experiencing the tragedy of her brother’s death and the loss of a deep friendship, O’Neal sought to use the struggle of grief for creative energy. Using photography as a medium to connect with a life after death was therapeutic and transformative. “This alchemical process became a testament to the power of art as a vehicle for evolution and healing.” This solo exhibition encompasses several series of photography, mixed media, and printmaking which are further commentaries on ethics, an interconnectedness with the earth and the artist’s personal process of transformation.
The principle piece of the exhibition and the central sculpture of One Thousand Tears is O’Neal’s Tree of Life; This sculpture depicts branches emerging from the form of a human heart with cast resin tears rather than leaves. For the artist, this sculpture embodies a magical and mystical symbol of renewal and regeneration. The heart, tree and tears create a trinity of archetypal symbols that are recognized across cultures and eras. Throughout the creation of the exhibition, in tandem with a Japanese Origami legend, O’Neal believed that by creating one thousand tears, her wish for healing for the world would be granted.
This monumental exhibition explores a personal journey into issues of grief, loss, migration and global earth changes. Through photography, printmaking, sculpture and painting, the reoccurring symbols throughout each series portrays the examination of personal, universal and historical loss. After considering the combined elements of the exhibition, O’Neal hopes to invoke compassion amongst the viewers.
Artspace at Untitled is honored to debut Janet O’Neal’s One Thousand Tears to the Oklahoma City art community that has propelled her artistic career of three decades. Her dynamism as an artist within multiple mediums is clear, and there is much to learn from both the technique and concept of her practice.

https://www.1ne3.org/janet-oneal-one-thousand-tears
https://janetonealphotography.com
https://vimeo.com/293010198 One Thousand Tears Exhibition Video