Anne Labovitz
Convergence: Hope, Love, Resilience, Rest, Community
Acrylic on Tyvek®
Courtesy of the artist
This installation was created specifically for the atrium at Plains Art Museum as part of the exhibition Convergence: Health & Creativity. Inspired by Labovitz’s research on the psychological benefits of art, this piece celebrates the connection between art and well-being. With her distinct style of gestural, colorful, and emotive mark-making, Convergence: Hope, Love, Resilience, Rest, Community responds to the physicality of the museum’s architecture as well as the sculpture’s unique materiality.
The sculpture is made of 380 linear feet of Tyvek® that is painted on both sides. Natural light is intentionally used and becomes a medium of the artwork itself. The translucency of the Tyvek® makes the light feel magical, transforming the colors and shapes as it moves throughout the day. Because the piece is suspended, viewers have the unique opportunity to view it from many perspectives on all three floors of the museum. The rich red and purple tones seen through the work were influenced by color choices made during Labovitz’s interviews with individuals, healthcare professionals, and community groups from the Fargo-Moorhead area. Saturated blues speckled with shimmering silver evoke imagery of the night sky. This is not only a recurring theme in the artist’s work but also a visual and conceptual nod to James Rosenquist’s piece The North Dakota Mural, which was displayed here from 2010 to 2024.
