bio
Emily Rice (b. 1993, Birmingham, AL) is an interdisciplinary artist based in the Southeastern US. They explore post-apocalyptic fragmentation and sustainable resurrection through a queer futuristic lens. Materials they handle remain in such a world: plastic, textiles, plants, wax, wood, cement, soil, ceramic, plaster, iron, and found objects. Through drawing, painting, digital media, sculpture, and installation, they elevate materials into realms of animism and myth. Investigating and reshaping torn, broken, and dead materials is their alchemical method for transfiguration and a way to gather time together. Their works are manifestations of a believed and beloved reality, examining the fascia between relationships and time.
statement
Ideas and spirits intertwine with materials. I make sculptural drawings guided by a deep dedication to belief and desire for sustainability. Through a patient and meticulous process, I find meaning in the intricate layering of objects, locations, cultural heritage, queerness, sexuality, and personal convictions. In my work, actions become rituals and reverberations. By transforming a diverse range of materials, including plastics, textiles, wax, wood, cement, soil, ceramic, plaster, iron, and found objects, I establish an intimate and essential relationship between myself and the materials I use.
In recent years my studio-based work has coalesced with urban and rural interventions, in which I seek collaboration with the landscape and its elements. The repetitive act of making is a transcendent experience, allowing communication with spirits and entities beyond my own consciousness. Through this laborious process, I gain a deeper understanding of the transparent presence I leave behind in materials while they, in turn, reveal their unique essence. This creative process is not just about making; it is a spiritual practice reinforcing my beliefs and understanding of the world beyond the physical realm.
As an artist, I am fascinated by the relationship between place and space, and how the animistic qualities of objects can be observed and applied to sculptural drawings. Gleaning inspiration from my ancestry and site specificity, my work provides discourse on landscape, myth, and historic folklore. It connects spirit realms above and below, linking different time planes and functioning as portals to pass through. I address the post-apocalyptic present with wonder, visualizing a longing for escapism and hopeful dreaming.