CHICAGO, IL: Elephant Room Gallery is excited to present a solo exhibition by Cydney M. Lewis entitled “Beauty Amongst Darkness”, September 15th through October 14th, 2023. The opening reception is on Friday, September 15th from 6 to 9pm. The gallery is located at 704 S Wabash Ave. in the South Loop Neighborhood of Chicago. More information can be found on the gallery’s website: www.elephantroomgallery.com.

“Beauty Amongst Darkness” is a body of new collage works by Cydney M. Lewis that explore and deal with the grief that comes from betrayal and great loss. Gathering together cut out magazine clippings, paper, original drawings and other various materials, Cydney collages the pieces, creating an otherworldly environment that is reflective of both beauty and chaos. With titles like “Self Sabotage”, “Hiding My Blues”, “Falling Off the Edge” and “Keep Moving Forward”, each piece becomes a stage in the grieving process. The familiarity of the imagery resonates with the artist personally while also connecting the viewer to the work through the shared human experience of grief. Through Cydney’s use of layering realistic imagery, abstract elements and color, she has created a landscape full of shifting and cyclic seasons, reminding us of the brevity of our lifespans.

About the Artist:
Cydney M. Lewis is a multimedia artist with a multi-disciplinary and distinguished background. Currently living in Chicago, her art practice highlights the transformation and manipulation of materials. As a self-described “visual archaeologist,” Mrs. Lewis considers the intersection of the natural, spiritual, and scientific worlds. Through our current landscape, she observes nature’s perseverance and ability to adapt, and asks how we might coexist in harmony. Pattern, repetition, and constant movement form the foundation of her work. By weaving nature, technology, destruction, and beauty, she presents her intuition of the surreal and the real. The fluidity of her ability to transform materials reflect her mastery of ballet as well as her endeavors in film.

She began in architecture, receiving a BS in Architectural Studies from University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, and the L’ecole D’architecture des Versailles, France. Her art is held in private collections around the world, and has been exhibited widely, including most recently in the Satellite Art Fair at Art Basel in Miami, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, National Museum in Berlin and the Hyde Park Art Center. Various honors have been bestowed on her, among them residencies at Chicago Public Schools, Tiger Strikes Asteroid and Lyseloth Musikerwohnhaus in Basel, Switzerland. Her awards include Best in Show at Governor State University and the Black Creativity/Green Art Award from the Museum of Science and Industry.

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