Artwork:
Teddy Bear Care Center, 2022
Martha Colburn: New Paintings
“Layer
upon layer, thought upon thought, the five new paintings by Martha
Colburn have slowly grown into existence. Digesting the concerning news
headlines of recent months, snippets from Colburn’s personal life, and
litter found on Californian streets, the paintings play with the essence
of iconic imagery. A skull, a tank. A teddy bear, a ballerina in
balaclava. Fanged female genitalia become a powerful symbol stitched
into the American flag. These are images that are universally
recognizable. Timely and timeless.
Teddy Bear Care Center is a
reminder of the terrible violence war brings upon children. Colburn
splatter-painted this canvas, covering it with multicolored drops of
paint. She then added very small pieces of paper, echoing the irregular
pattern of the paint splatters. Up close, the array of colors and images
is dazzling, seducing you closer. Step back, and you see the giant
teddy bear, lying limp in a disturbing setting – a montage of scenes of
exploded nurseries from the war in Ukraine.” — Leonor Faber-Jonker, July
2022
