Stretching across over 36 feet in length, in a swathe of vibrant color and dynamic forms, is a new mural by Washington-based artist Amirah Chatman. Perennial Ascent is a stunning, large-scale reproduction of a masterful original drawing made using chalk pastel. The mural is now on view in the Concourse E Extension covering the expanse of an overhead wall and meeting the light pouring through windows facing the airfield and the Columbia River beyond.
Chatman is a Natural Abstractionist, emphasizing gesture, movement, and organic forms such as comets, clouds, and bodies of water. Despite the recognizable elements of the artist’s composition, she intentionally removes a strict sense of place so that the viewer is able to interpret and make their own unique connections to the scene. With Perennial Ascent, Chatman aims above all to capture a series of emotions through gesture, color, and natural as well as celestial motifs.
The artist writes, “This scene epitomizes the intricate emotions arisen from burnout, grief, abrupt life transitions, growth, love, and renewal.”
Utilizing visual elements drawn from weather, space, and nature, Chatman seeks to create dynamic scenes meant to engage the viewer and serve as a tool to interpret the complexity of existence. After experiencing several losses over the past decade, Amirah’s curiosity of the afterlife drove a need to envision a place that was as eclectic, chromatic, and complicated as her loved ones. These visualizations take form in chalk pastel drawings, murals, oil paintings, wood sculptures, and interactive installations.
Amirah holds an MFA in Visual Studies from the Pacific Northwest College of Art, and a BFA in Drawing from Arizona State University. She has shown work in Phoenix, San Francisco, Washington, and Oregon. Notable projects include site-specific murals for the Multnomah County Behavioral Health Research Center, Albina Library, and Imagine Black Futures all in Portland, OR. Outside of the studio, she spends her time teaching art classes to youth and adults, and exploring the region with her fiancé Daniel and her cat, Panda.
For more information on this exhibition or artwork inquiries please contact amirah.chatman.art@gmail.com or visit amirahchatman.com
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