Duluth Art Institute: Marjorie Fedyszyn, Irreproachable
George Morrison Gallery | April 14–May 31, 2022
Abstract artist Marjorie Fedyszyn found a meditative and grounding way to heal from childhood trauma through stitching and sculpting fabric. Large, appealing forms and embroidered panels represent the results of her restorative art practice. She explains, “I use traditional craft techniques as a meditative means to discharge my emotional past. The physicality and repetitive nature found in hand-stitching brings me back to my body in a healing way.”
Voluminous sculptures grace the gallery and mimic fleshy forms that first appear naïve and playful, yet a visceral undertone evokes emotions of discomfort, shame, or disgust. Having felt no agency over her own body, Fedyszyn now processes the sexual abuse she experienced as a teen through her work and comes to a place of acceptance: “I am a survivor.”
Minneapolis-based artist/educator Marjorie Fedyszyn combines the knowledge of her first career as a scenic artist for theater with her deep reverence for materials and technique. Her studio practice is in the historic Casket Arts Building in NE Minneapolis, where she creates sculptures, paintings, drawings, and installation art. Fedyszyn is an award-winning artist with numerous grants and fellowships through the Jerome Foundation, Minnesota State Arts Board, and Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. She holds a B.A. in Theater Design from State University of New York–Fredonia, New York.
This exhibition was created with the support from a 2018 Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant and is supported by the Depot Foundation.
Image Credit: Marjorie Fedyszyn, "Object of My Affection," polyester satin, sisal rope, foam, plywood, 2016, 46"x28"x9"