Two paths, two identities
A Sculpture Exhibition by Gillian Christy and Nora Valdez
Opening Reception: Friday September 13, 2024 6-8PM. Gallery Hours: Fridays 6-8PM, Saturdays 12-5PM, & Sundays 12-5PM
Two Paths, Two Identities: Celebrating a Decade of Synergy and Individuality in Sculpture
Two Paths, Two Identities presents the evocative works of women sculptors Gillian Christy and Nora Valdez, who explore the idea of home and express their universal voices as women in society. Working in the mediums of metal and stone, respectively, Christy and Valdez have shared a studio in Dorchester for the past ten years, developing a unique synergy while maintaining their distinct artistic identities.
Their collaboration began at the Boston Sculptors Gallery and deepened when they secured a ground floor studio space at Humphreys Street Studios in June 2013. This perfect space for welding and stone carving became their creative haven. It was only when Humphreys Street Studios faced potential displacement that they realized the significance of their shared journey.
Two Paths, Two Identities not only celebrates a decade of side-by-side sculpting but also underscores their ability to maintain individual styles while working in close proximity. The exhibition will feature their individual works as well as their collaborative model and design proposal for a Covid-19 Memorial Monument, submitted to the Hektoen Institute of Medicine. This memorial project reflects their shared themes of honor, remembrance, and resilience.
As professional sculptors in challenging fields, both Christy and Valdez have received significant community support. The Massachusetts Cultural Council awarded the Craft Fellowship to Christy in 2021 and to Valdez in 2017. Their dedication to high craftsmanship is evident in their representational approach, focusing on the ever-present theme of home.
Their sculptures, often using similar imagery, convey different meanings. For example, Valdez's "Still Moving" symbolizes the uprootedness of the immigrant experience, while Christy's "Row Your Boat" reflects one's journey through life. These works illustrate how two different identities from Mid-Western Iowan and South American Argentinian backgrounds can use universal imagery to express the concept of home in contemporary sculpture.
Gillian Christy and Nora Valdez continue to create meaningful sculptures on their individual paths. Two Paths, Two Identities showcases the strength of their unique works and the powerful synergy of their collaboration.
Gillian Christy aims to convey the interconnectedness of home, nature, and community through her art. Recently, she held a solo exhibition at The Art Complex Museum and received both a Stars Residency and an Artist Fellowship from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Christy's career highlights include her dedication to fine craftsmanship and the creation of monumental public artworks. Her sculptures are featured in prominent locations such as Pittsburgh International Airport, City Hall in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Greenleaf Library in Franconia, New Hampshire, Somerby’s Landing Sculpture Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, and T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island.
Her contributions to public art have earned her numerous grants from the New England Foundation for the Arts, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, the Rhode Island Foundation, and the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. In 2008, Americans for the Arts recognized her work "Embrace" as America’s Best Reviewed Public Art, marking her first large-scale commission permanently installed at The Plant in Providence, Rhode Island. Christy currently resides in Boston with her family.
https://www.gillianchristy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/gillianchristy/
Nora Valdez, born in Argentina, has been living and working in the United States as an artist since 1986. She graduated from the College of Fine Arts (Mercedes San Luis, Argentina) as Professor of Fine Arts. Her work has been exhibited internationally in Europe, Asia, North, Central and South America, including numerous international Sculpture Symposiums. She has more than 15 permanent Public Art pieces around the world and United States.
Nora Valdez has utilized sculpture and installations to create work that explores the idea of home and the immigrant experience. She has been focused for many years on creating Public Art pieces and monumental Sculpture. Her thematic concerns are also reflected in her involvement with the community.
The recipient of many awards, Valdez has appeared in numerous publications, national and international. Her work has received funding from public and private institutions including the New England Foundation for the Arts, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Georgia Arts Council and Vermont Arts Council and community projects through the National Endowment for the Arts. As an advisor and instructor at The Carving Studio and Sculpture Center, she directed the Stone Bench Project, which has created and installed stone benches throughout Vermont. She has been a member of Boston Sculpture Gallery since 2012. In September she will be part of MassArt faculty. Nora Valdez’s work is part of the permanent collection of The Fitchburg Art Museum, USA, The Art Complex Museum, USA, The University of Massachusetts permanent art collection, Boston and The Changchun World Sculpture Park and Museum, China amount others.
https://www.instagram.com/valdez8123/
