Open on First Friday – Robin L. Bernstein: Hope Dies Last

Transmission Gallery will be open late, till 8 pm on First Friday for the Oakland Art Murmur First Friday Art Walk. Stop by to see our featured exhibition, Hope Dies Last, a solo exhibition of sumptuous fiber-based works by Robin L. Bernstein addressing complex and challenging subjects.

In the immediate encounter, the work is beautiful. Dynamic cut shapes and enticing color invite the viewer in. At first, they appear to be painted, one can see the swirling line work. Stepping up closer, the elaborate threaded detail becomes evident. Hundreds and hundreds of pieces of thread and string have been pressed into wax creating a mesmerizing and tactile effect. This visual feast reverberates with our senses, reflecting the intimacy of the endeavor. The richness of color evokes a sense of warmth and vitality, contrasting with the heavy themes the works address for indeed there is a message imbedded in each piece, a warning or troubling truth, one we might rather not know too deeply.

Bernstein researches her themes extensively while developing each composition, thoughtfully considering and selecting the symbolism layered throughout the work. Shaped panels provide a framework to carry the concept. Colors and forms may reference historical suffering, specific incidents or fundamental principals. While some pieces in the exhibition specifically call out the insidious subtexts of white supremacy and fascism masquerading as more benign movements, others speak directly, painfully even, to the perils impending along the gamut of human endeavor. Rather than meet the future with denial, the work calls for recognition of those potentialities and, despite the looming threats, richly colored elements may be seen as rays of hope, inviting a personal commitment to consciously educate ourselves, and move forward in even small everyday actions, collectively making new decisions for a healthy and just society and planet.