In Anderson’s current series of paintings and drawings, Parade of Thieves, which she’ll present in a solo exhibition at Alto Gallery in Denver, Colorado, in May 2024, Anderson delves into the intricate interplay of time, dreams, memory, and the concept of the collective through the portrayal of fragmented horses and birds. These majestic creatures are subjected to a transformative process, their bodies spliced and reassembled like pieces of a complex puzzle. This collision of reality and abstraction evokes the multi-faceted perceptions and experiences of the individual and the collective.
The juxtaposition of detailed form, vague blank space, and the splicing of figures, invites viewers to contemplate the conventional notion of linear time. Horses and birds move through space as a parade of thieves — running on stolen time through forgotten memories, recalled in flashes; spontaneous and fleeting. Anderson aims to prompt a dialogue about the fluidity of time, the way it dances through our consciousness, and the manner in which memories and dreams intertwine to shape our understanding of reality.
The figures, while retaining their individuality, are also prominently a part of a collective whole. Horses and birds in Anderson’s work act as symbols for the self and the collective, embodying a strange beauty through collage-like layering of fragmented figures that connect and overlap. This reflects the collective nature of human experience, where our individual lives play an active role in society and history, influencing and being influenced by those around us. Just as the collective memory shapes our perception of the past, these fragmented beings invite viewers to consider the extent to which individual experiences contribute to the collective consciousness.
