Through the thoughtful manipulation of materials, Kelly Kruse illuminates complex, philosophical ideas.  In this exhibition, she explores order and chaos through the metaphysical imagery of Genesis I from the Hebrew Bible. With each of her paintings, the viewer is invited to immerse themselves into a visually contemplative spiritual space.

With the literary structures of Genesis I in mind, repetition became a key element in Kruse’s work, as it is also one of the Bible’s primary aesthetic characteristics. The symmetrical literary structure of Genesis prompts the reader to look for connections and curiosities within the written words. In the same way, these panels demonstrate deliberate relationships to one another through process, composition, and color, inviting viewers to ask questions about the similarities and differences between them. Accompanying each, Kruse has also written a meditation from every day of her creation process, through which one is invited into a deeper contemplative journey.

While developing this series, Kruse found inspiration in the cosmology of the ancient Near East, whose authors frequently used imagery of chaotic, deep water, and untamed wastelands to describe the pre-creation cosmos. For this reason, Kruse focused less on the idea of creation out of nothing and more on bringing order from disorder. It was this concept of existent but not yet formed, that motivated Kruse to look around her own studio for a waste material that would inspire this entire body of work. The answer was the paper towels that litter her painting tables after wiping up ink runoff. A waste of which had material existence but was not yet ordered or purposed.

Every panel on view was made using mulberry paper, or kozo, of which Kruse tore into strips, crumpled them up, hand-dyed them, and then hung them to dry.  And in this way, the transformed kozo began to resemble the paper towels. Kozo grows stronger and stiffer as it is broken down and kneaded, rolled, and shaped while wet.  

By no means a definitive answer to how the beginning of the universe may have looked, O Mirabile Mysterium represents one artist’s contemplative journey inspired by holy scripture. As you explore each panel and its mediation, consider how the beginning may have appeared if we were able to visually witness it? How did the world we know come to be from chaos and disorder?