Shoshana Wayne Gallery is pleased to present the first solo exhibition of Yveline Tropéa’s work in the United States: Between Two Worlds.
Tropéa skillfully mixes hand-beading and embroidery, hiding motifs in plain sight and creating kaleidoscopic backgrounds. Her process begins with free drawing, autonomously transcribing dreams and fantasies onto paper. The artist digitally enlarges the image and maps out color choices and patterns for beading and embroidery. Selections of glass beads and threads draw from local beading techniques and source material from craftspeople in Ouagadougou. Tropéa charts out the direction of each strand, resulting in richly textured imagery that animates the mystical narratives.
Combining traditional materials with a surrealist and spiritual approach to production allows Tropéa to create a world ruled by irrationality, which we are invited into. Much like contemporary life, Tropéa’s work exists in a space of ambiguity, but by venturing into these dream-like images viewers can find inspiration and meaning, widening their own worlds in the process.
Opening Reception:
Saturday, April 6th, 4-6pm
Gallery Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday, 11am - 5pm