A Collaborative Painting Exhibit by Sarah Bing and Mali Vargas

Sarah Bing The Road To Heaven 36x48 oil

"THE ROAD TO..."

We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. T. S. Eliot

The Road To is a two-person exhibit that began when artists Sarah Bing and Mali Vargas embarked on a collaboration for Betzalel Arts at the Calgary Jewish Community Centre in Canada.

Artists Bing and Vargas are not interested in conventional landscape painting.
The concept for this exhibition was born out of a desire to accomplish a body of work based on a common theme, a road trip, and by filtering the imagery through each artist’s independent experiences.

Mali Vargas Do You Think We'll See A Bear? 11x14 acrylic

With camera in hand, Bing documented a road trip she took to the mountains.  While Bing’s paintings were realized by her first-hand encounter, Vargas’ paintings were based on the imagery Bing provided and by memories of road trips taken as a child.

Yet another limitation was set. Although both artists were conscious of the show’s theme, neither artist was aware of what exact imagery each artist would choose to paint. Only as a vicarious passenger, can we see how these two artists have been able to arrive at the same destination when only one has experienced the physical journey.

It is interesting to examine how the medium and particular style of each artist informs their paintings, and how each artist interprets the physical landscape.  Both Bing and Vargas stay true to the conceptual objectives of the show, while stretching themselves as individual artists. Vargas’ work, smaller in scale, is limited by imagery in a photograph; whereas, Bing’s large-scale paintings reflect the expansive environment she encountered. Vargas’ research material is based on photographic ephemera. Sarah’s experience will resonate as a memory long after the trip. The show has been an education for both women.

We find ourselves carried along as passengers in our ability to relate to this exhibit.

We invite you to experience The Road To exhibit firsthand, a story told in paintings by Mali Vargas and Sarah Bing.

Buckle up! The open road awaits!

- Arlene Westen-Evans
  Guest Curator and Owner of Evanescence Gallery"