The Will o’ the Wisp is a mischievous sprite that leads weary travelers deeper and deeper into a treacherous swamp with its lantern-like, shimmering countenance. For the exhibition Will o the’ Wisp, eight artists bound together by a common interest in speculative futures and ecology bring forth a collective vision of a dreamworld populated by spirits that entice and confound perception. Will o’ the Wisp weaves personal narratives into the setting of a bog roiling with mysterious gases. This psychedelic miasma combines lightworks, painting, sculpture and sound into an immersive experience for visitors to the museum. Together, these artists bring the invisible world hidden in nature into clear focus.
Will o the’ Wisp is a collaborative installation organized by Joy Feasley and Paul Swenbeck and features their works alongside works by Asata Radcliffe, Aaron Igler, Virgil Marti, Clint Takeda, Kelsey Halliday Johnson and Shannon Bowser.
Joy Feasley (b. 1966) studied at Massachusetts College of Art, Cooper Union, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Her work has been exhibited in museums include the Institute of Contemporary Art and The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia and the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan. She has had exhibitions at Adams and Ollman in Portland, OR as well as Vox Populi in Philadelphia. She has received numerous awards and commissions including the Pew Fellowship in the Arts in 2010.
Paul Swenbeck (b. 1967) graduated with a degree in ceramics from Massachusetts College of Art in 1991. His work has been exhibited at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia; the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; the Morris Gallery, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia; Fleisher/Ollman, Philadelphia; Vox Populi, Philadelphia, and Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston.
