Reprocessing memory tle
The spiritualist art of Kathleen Fonseca
JASMIN PICHLYK
Spiritualism, as an important aspect of certain works of art, is somewhat unfamiliar territory for many in the general public, and subsequently seems to be met with much scepticism. This is understandable, to a certain degree, though it shouldn’t necessarily be encouraged. All art is naturally experienced in subjective terms, and allows viewers to form and gauge their own opinions. However, viewers should remember to enter an exhibit with an open mind and be susceptible to a new way of thinking. Kathleen Fonesca’s latest solo exhibition, currently at U of M’s Gallery One One One, is definitely a testament to this, as it pushes boundaries and explores the limits of her artistic practice.
Fonseca has a gift in producing art that is derived from her psychic readings, and appears relieved to finally be able to share her personal art with the public.
She first made spiritual art at the age of 16, in the form of automatic writing in a foreign language, and within a year included poetry and paintings derived from her subconscious. Her efforts to connect with past lifelines were thwarted by her parents and, unfortunately, all of her work was destroyed when she decided to run away from home at 17. Fonseca’s spiritual creativity was laid to rest while she pursued other artistic endeavours, through an exploration of sculpture and mixed media.
She is, however, glad to see her psychic art finally on display, acknowledged and embraced by the arts community. Furthermore, she is pleased with the overwhelming response by members of the public willing to participate in her art’s performative aspect, allowing her to read their bloodlines and produce art on a subconscious level that is a reflection of the lives learned about during these séances.
On display in the exhibit are four large-scale watercolours that were created from the channelling of Fonseca’s own spiritual history. Scattered along the other walls are smaller sketches, doodles and automatic writing pieces, which were created after Fonseca channelled the spirits of volunteer sitters. In December, a number of students volunteered to have their pasts read by Fonseca; she sat with each individual, reading their faces, and immediately afterwards proceeded to write or sketch furiously in her notebook. These sessions were recorded and the video documentation is projected on the fourth wall of the gallery.
Additional sessions have been taking place throughout the course of the exhibition, and the works conceived during these sessions are continuously being added to the show. A sheer curtain sections off a small corner of the gallery, with a mattress resting on the floor and a table with watercolour supplies nearby. It’s in this intimate space that the volunteer readings take place and the subsequent art is produced.
Such spiritual work, which is hard to accurately define or explain, can be seen as, in the words of art theorist Susan Rubin Suleiman, “exploring the pleasures of resistance, of deconstruction, of discovery, of defining, of fragmenting, of redefining.” It is an intense process, which produces thought-provoking writing and images. And the viewer need not believe in Fonseca’s ability to connect with the past, or communicate with other ancestors, since Fonseca’s light airy brushstrokes, infused with delicately written text, are still to be aesthetically admired.
Curator Cliff Eyland takes a similar position, stating “I am careful to respectfully position myself at a distance from what Fonseca believes to be the true origins of her art as I make an argument for her work’s significance.”
Kathleen Fonseca’s exhibit runs until Thursday, March 8 at Gallery One One One, located on the first floor of the FitzGerald Building, with a closing reception from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m..
