Cold Comfort

With the chill of Winter still lingering on the doorstep, there is no better time no to examine the psychological, social and symbolic connotations of the season.

Accompanied by the withering of plants and hibernation of animals, Winter implies a certain kind of “end” — a marker which signifies that another year has passed. In temperate climates, this pause makes itself felt in the slowing of agricultural activities. With no crops to tend, people spend time inside mending clothes or doing small repairs around the farm. It’s a philosophy we’ve taken with us into our modern lives — an instinct which drives us to go underground — to spend time with our books and our thoughts.

Staring out at the barren landscape, stripped of leaves and grasses, of the buzzing of insects and the croak of frogs, we are struck by a kind of sweet melancholy. It’s like a rest in a piece of music during which no sounds are heard.

But at the same time, that empty expanse of white speaks to possibilities yet unrealized. The ashen, bare branches pointing the way to Spring and the untapped potential buried within the tree buds or stored away in bulbs beneath the ground which will soon transform itself into a profusion of color. However dismal or bleak, without Winter, we would not appreciate the verdant mantle of summer. Winter is the “yin” which necessitates “yang”. Without one, the other does not exist.

In this show, we’ve collected a series of works which pay homage to these themes and we hope they will provide some inspiring ideas to warm you during these last few chilly days.