Stuart’s work boasts myriad influences, from history, astronomy and botany, to her various travels to ancient archaeological sites. And place is important to Stuart – so in this instance the word Shandaken means rapid water and is what the Esopus Indians of the Algonquin Nation called a particular mountainous area in the Catskills. Whether they take the form of drawing, frottage, sculpture or photography, Stuart’s pieces are defined by a transcendent, Romantic quality – standing in front of them, you feel instantly spellbound. “Shandaken Veil” itself is a grey powder rubbing that almost resembles an abstract painting. Hung unframed on the wall, its lower edge curling out towards the viewer, the work offers an unmediated experience of pigment and ground, and by extension with site/place.
