Mollie Serena
Celestial Flos 1, 2017
Video, 6:38
On loan from the Artist
Please note: All buildings on campus, including the Wall Center, are only open to Davidson students, faculty, and staff due to the pandemic.
Mollie Serena is an interdisciplinary artist who works in photography, film, sculpture, lasers, and light art. She received her BFA in Photography from Parsons School of Design in 2008 and then went on to receive her MA in Art and a PhD in Philosophy, Art, and Critical Thought from the European Graduate School in Switzerland in 2016 and 2019, respectively. Her work has been featured in many exhibitions in New York, Switzerland, and Australia. Since 2016 she has been working with the Design Trust for Public Space in NYC on their “Opening the Edge” project. Through this involvement, she was invited to create both a temporary public installation and a permanent sculpture for the New York City Housing Authority. She currently sits on the Lower East Side Cultural Council and is an artist in residence at the Kunstraum Inc. gallery in Brooklyn.
Serena’s video Celestial Flos 1, 2017 is on view in the E. Craig Wall Jr. Academic Center from February 21, 2021 through April 3, 2021 as part of our Color and Perception series. Of this piece, the artist writes:
“Celestial Flos [is an] installation film, part of a larger, interdisciplinary project called Vivilt. Created entirely in camera, Serena manipulates light, time and space to create an infinite psychedelic space that explores the intersection between technology, nature and identity.”
The piece reflects Serena’s interest in physics, art, and climate change. The flowers represent the epitome of natural beauty while the plastic symbolizes the ever-growing threat of climate change. The neon lights are meant to represent the toxicity of chemical waste as it seeps into and blends with nature. This brief explanation only scratches the surface of Serena’s multi-layered piece.
Watch our interview with Serena below to learn more about her piece:
Check out Serena’s website and follow her on Instagram.
Serena’s video piece Celestial Flos 1 is on display in the E. Craig Wall, Jr. Academic Center through and April 3, 2021.
By Alice Berndt ’22.