FROM TAOS TO LAOS

Works by Erin Currier | Acrylic and mixed media on panel

For the past decade and a half, the underlying theme of all of my work has been that which I have found to be true, time and again, in all of the countries I've traveled to: that our commonalities as human beings far outweigh our differences. Divisions are often either superficial or artificially created based on racial, economic, and national ideologies. Where we are similar is of a more profound philosophical, metaphysical caliber: the bond between brothers, the love between mother and child; these run like threads in the great fabric of generations. And while each of us is shaped by civilizations that appear and act so differently, certain lines of development meet in unexpected ways. As the huge size of the world contracts through massive urbanization, it is easy to discover familiar sights within the exotic; landscapes, people, their habits and mores, become allied in the elementary needs of humankind. My use of trash and discarded packaging, written in every language, gathered from every continent, further expresses our affinities- in what we create, value, share consume, and cast away- as it also speaks to the truth of the interconnected nature of our triumphs and struggles.

It is in this spirit that I have sharpened the focus of my latest series of works on the parallels between two corners of the world that are particularly dear to my heart, and where I have spent most of my time for the past few years; Southeast Asia and the American Southwest. Both share a culinary desire for hot chili; an affinity for Western films, cowboy and, surprisingly, low- rider culture, as well as tricked-out cars and beauty queens. On a deeper level, both regions share similar encroaching ecological and economic impacts, yet manage to sustain powerful indigenous communities with strong cultural traditions. Buddhist temples, alleyway shrines and household altars in Southeast Asia are as prevalent as adobe chapels, roadside descansos, and household nichos inhabited by santos are in New Mexico. In both locales, the personal relationship between individuals and the divine feminine- embodied in the form of Kwan Yin in the former and Our Lady of Guadalupe in the latter- run as deep as the Mekong River and the Rio Grande, respectively. Both geographies have given rise to gifted artisans and craftsmen. Most significantly, there are as many chromed-out Tuk-tuks in Luang Prabang and Bangkok as there are low-riders in Espanola Valley!

My latest series, From Taos to Laos, is a call and response between East and West. Unlike anything I've created heretofore, through specific paired depictions, I celebrate our shared humanity with our brethren on the other side of the world.

Erin Currier