Moments Make a Palace, 2024
In the journey of self-exploration, there is a pivotal moment when the seeker arrives at the understanding that the world is a mirror; the outer forms, circumstances, and experiences mere reflections of what lies within. "Moments Make a Palace," a solo exhibition by Rain Spann, uses visual language as a medium to explore and express the artist’s relationship with the external world and the experiences that shape his inner landscape.
The works serve as windows into the artist's personal "palace," constructed from moments that define his identity and reflect his interactions with the world around him. Through this visual exploration, Spann invites viewers to contemplate their own inner palaces, urging them to consider how their experiences, both external and internal, converge and interact to create their sense of self. The exhibition highlights the impermanence of life, the interconnectedness of all moments, and the transformative potential of the integration of experience to achieve higher consciousness and understanding.
Spann’s use of mixed media figurative expression emphasizes the layered nature of human existence. His collage and sewn elements literally and metaphorically depict the complexities of identity, growth, and change. In using traditional sewing methods, Spann points to the truth that while duality is represented in the world of form, there is an underlying omnipresent consciousness where all exists as whole.
Through meticulous depictions of growth, renewal, and the cyclical patterns of nature, Spann illustrates the process of transformation. The relationship between form and formlessness, embodied through energy, color, and material, further explores the connection between the physical and the spiritual, what is seen and unseen.
"Moments Make a Palace" urges the viewer to reflect on their own personal journey. By engaging with themes of spirituality, self-discovery, and the shedding of old ways, the exhibition explores and demonstrates one's potential for growth and transformation. Spann invites us to reflect on our own inner journeys, as a way to understand how we relate to the outer world. As a teaching tool, “Moments Make a Palace” is a thorough, thoughtful, universal, and important offering for all traversing the path of the human experience.
The works serve as windows into the artist's personal "palace," constructed from moments that define his identity and reflect his interactions with the world around him. Through this visual exploration, Spann invites viewers to contemplate their own inner palaces, urging them to consider how their experiences, both external and internal, converge and interact to create their sense of self. The exhibition highlights the impermanence of life, the interconnectedness of all moments, and the transformative potential of the integration of experience to achieve higher consciousness and understanding.
Spann’s use of mixed media figurative expression emphasizes the layered nature of human existence. His collage and sewn elements literally and metaphorically depict the complexities of identity, growth, and change. In using traditional sewing methods, Spann points to the truth that while duality is represented in the world of form, there is an underlying omnipresent consciousness where all exists as whole.
Through meticulous depictions of growth, renewal, and the cyclical patterns of nature, Spann illustrates the process of transformation. The relationship between form and formlessness, embodied through energy, color, and material, further explores the connection between the physical and the spiritual, what is seen and unseen.
"Moments Make a Palace" urges the viewer to reflect on their own personal journey. By engaging with themes of spirituality, self-discovery, and the shedding of old ways, the exhibition explores and demonstrates one's potential for growth and transformation. Spann invites us to reflect on our own inner journeys, as a way to understand how we relate to the outer world. As a teaching tool, “Moments Make a Palace” is a thorough, thoughtful, universal, and important offering for all traversing the path of the human experience.
-Written by Kira Jackson, Artist & Contemporary Arts Network Operations Director
Growing Spirit Exhibition, 2023
Spirit on Fire, 2022
