Carbondale Arts Gallery opens ‘subject/matr/mother’ exhibition

Carbondale Arts hosted an opening reception on Friday, April 11, for “subject/matr/mother,” a group exhibition featuring Mya Cluff, Courtney Dudley, Darla Jackson, Shawna Miller (curator), + LUCIA, Erin Morrison, and Maria Teicher.

“Matr” is the Latin root for material, matter, and maternal. These seven female artists create work that centers around the complexity of the maternal experience. The curation aims to celebrate the link between woman and mother, while interrogating the way we associate them as one-and-the-same, or a preordained linear destiny.

“‘subject/matr/mother’ is my first foray into curation,” Miller said. “The desire sprang from the experience I shared with Maria Teicher in 2023, when we mounted a two-person show, ‘Arms Full,’ in Oslo, Norway. In that exhibition, the inclusive conversation with viewers and deep-dive into the details of modern motherhood created a kind of ‘happening’ that accompanied the work. From that experience, I was curious to see how an expanded curation, and additional voices, could add to the conversation. These are women whose work I admire, and whose voices, I intuitively feel, will entice viewers to conversation.”

While the opening reception was on Friday, “subject/matr/mother” will be on display through May 15. The Carbondale Arts Gallery is located inside of The Launchpad and is open to the public weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aspen Power and The Crow and Key are sponsoring the exhibition.