Much has been written about Lakeside artist Deborah Kruger. A documentary on her website (deborahkruger.com) explains her work in great detail.
The list of her previous exhibitions is long and impressive. The honors, grants, biennials and residencies are varied and span the globe.
When reflecting on her retirement and settling down in Mexico, Kruger focuses on her vision for the future, saying she positioned herself “for life as an international installation artist.”
She has definitely accomplished that goal, and her work continues to have an impact —sought out by galleries, festivals and art consortiums. She was just awarded the Arte Laguna Prize and her work will be shown in Venice, Italy, in March and April of next year.
Kruger cares deeply for our planet and its inhabitants. The cycle that is foremost in her consciousness follows this trajectory: climate change and industrialization encroach upon natural habitats and migration patterns. Animals and especially birds become disturbed, endangered and eventually extinct. The same is true for humans, she believes. When cultures and indigenous communities are displaced and uprooted, their traditions, generations of artistry and their ancient languages are exterminated. The loss of birds and loss of languages fill her thoughts and run through her work.
“Avianto,” the exhibit currently showing at the Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo in Chapala, is a fascinating combination of past, present and future studies on the subject. Feathers are the outward and visible manifestation of her inner contemplations. They are constructed from recycled plastic bags that are fused together and then screen-printed with complementary patterns. A paragraph of text has been translated into 17 extinct languages and overlaps with contrasting images of bird species that, sadly, have disappeared from our planet. This collection of work takes the shape of large wall murals, smaller framed pieces and a study on traditional Mexican ceramics adorned with colorful fringe.
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