On View: March 26-28, April 1-2, 2024
Reception: Thursday, March 28, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Alana Wilson grew up in Honolulu Hawai’i and immersed herself in her natural environments and Hawaiian traditional lei making. She has learned to make many traditional lei including lei wili (twisting and wrapping), feather lei, lei lā’ī and lei haku (braiding) style lei po’o (garland for the head) from her mom and knowledgeable kumu from her community. Her love of the outdoors is expressed through her outdoor education leader experience from high school. She still leads camping and hiking trips, now as a trained Davidson Outdoors leader for college students and became an advanced open water scuba diver. She has been invited to show her work annually at the Davidson College Student Art Exhibition since 2021 and received the juror’s award for “Best Sculpture in Show” in 2023. She is currently working on ephemeral sculptures for her Senior Art Exhibition that will be displayed at the end of March 2024.
Artist Statement:
I create sculptures from collecting found materials at an intimate handheld scale. They are often meticulously formulated in strands with lei-making techniques. I shifted my practice away from dense forms to allow natural materials to take center stage. My sculptures mirror traditions from my Hawaiian culture and upbringing; lei (garlands) are given for many occasions including celebrations and memorials. The link between delicate and often ephemeral materials demonstrate an interconnectedness of humans and nature and our inevitable mortality. The strands acknowledge a timeline: preserving a moment and encouraging close speculation. My sculptures offer a moment of scrutiny into overlooked materials.
