“Ursula von Rydingsvard: Works on Paper” is the Sarah Moody Gallery of Art’s newest exhibition, which opened on Oct. 10 and is scheduled to run through Nov. 22.
Crafted by sculptor Ursula von Rydingsvard — who currently lives in Brooklyn, New York — the exhibit combines paper, graphite and textile elements to establish a nuanced display that leaves viewers wanting more.
Born in Deensen, Germany, during peak Nazi rule in 1942, von Rydingsvard was the daughter of Polish and Ukrainian parents who spent the duration of World War II working in forced labor. Following the war, she and her family moved between various displacement camps until they eventually immigrated to Connecticut in 1950.
While von Rydingsvard’s work does not directly depict her childhood, the ambiguous nature of her pieces allows for influence from a multitude of sources, often including inspiration from her life experiences.
During her appearance on the “Art from the Outside” podcast, von Rydingsvard elaborated on how her history defines her creativity and why she needs to create at all.
“I like embroidering around my long-ago Polish fantasies,” she said. “I can reach into the future with my work. I constantly need to try to better understand the immense suffering and pain of my family that I never seem to really understand.”
Von Rydingsvard began her artistic career with a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Miami, followed up by an M.F.A. from Columbia University in 1975. Following her graduation, she began her career with a solo exhibition at Columbia that was soon joined by a litany of other solo exhibitions, group exhibitions, sculpture installations, lectures and artistic achievements.
“Why do I make art? Mostly to survive,” von Rydingsvard said on the podcast about her creative ambitions. She said she makes art to help her anxiety, adding, “[I] numb myself with the labor and the focus of building my work … the process by which I concretize my ideas feels so good.”
Most of von Rydingsvard’s work has been focused on cedar sculpture, while her works on paper are more recent, starting in 2011. The works on paper currently displayed at Sarah Moody span more than 10 years, ranging from 2012 to 2023.
The present exhibition features 14 of von Rydingsvard’s newer works, paper creations that share common ground in that they are each on paper but contain mediums ranging from charcoal and graphite to lamb wool and lace.
By utilizing both standard paper and a handmade linen paper, von Rydignsvard highlights a variety of textures and styles, with the works on paper featuring both sculptural fabric effects and more conventional drawings and sketches.
Primarily in black and white with the occasional introduction of dark reds and purples, the pieces have an oppressive, almost spooky feel. Nonetheless, the combination of fabric and paper creates a textural experience that varies widely from piece to piece and keeps the display engaging throughout.
“As I viewed this artwork, I’m not entirely sure what it means or how it makes me feel,” said Heath Hope, a sophomore majoring in finance. “However, I’m intrigued by the possibilities and curious to explore the art’s hidden meanings.”
This exhibit will be supplemented by a lecture on Nov. 4 presented by Courtney Childress, who is von Rydingsvard’s studio manager and a University of Alabama graduate. The lecture begins at 4 p.m. in 203 Garland Hall and is open to the public.
