Originally published in the Marina Times San Francisco in June 2012
For twenty years Patrick Stull has been exploring the multifaceted aspects of women, their personalities, obstacles and victories. Now he brings his exhibit Evolve- A Woman’s Journey to the Fort Mason Center from June 22 through July 1, 2012.
This multimedia exhibit focuses on women creating and bringing forth life. Women in various stages of pregnancy will be presented in large scale digital photographs, sculpture, drawing and painting. In his photography, Stull uses fabric, color and light swirling around the female form to create fluid, dreamlike interpretations of physical metamorphosis during the child bearing process. His sculptures of pregnant women are created by using body casts and combining them with various media including paper, plastic, resin, cement and wax. The fractures in some sculptures reemphasize the idea of pregnancy as transformation, suggesting a butterfly leaving a chrysalis or the shedding of skin.
This exhibit is part of an ongoing series investigating the complexities surrounding the lives of women. “For me, and hopefully for the viewer, this body of work is all about discovery,” said Stull. “The power of art is that it can reflect what’s already happening in the world, it can touch something very personal within each of us, and it can inspire humanity to change.”