"Polaris" Solo Exhibition - Artist Statement

My artwork will permanently live on the moon.

It still seems like such a wild and surreal statement, but one that brings immense pride. Being a part of the Lunar Codex is an incredible honor.

When I found out the details of my involvement in the Codex, I was struck by the name of the collection in the capsule that would house all 21 of my pieces chosen to be a part of it.

“Polaris.”

The North Star.

The point in the sky that has offered direction to humanity since the beginning. A symbol for guidance, constancy, stability. In many cultures throughout the world, it represents hope and purpose and freedom in one’s journey. In the very nature of these ideas, I found great inspiration to explore and document this specific time in my own life. An artists’ work is, by its very nature, autobiographical, but this project is a layered and special one for me.

In the exhibition, you’ll see a body of work that has subtle ties to the pieces chosen for the Codex. There are models that are chosen to appear again in this new series, providing a kind of visual quotation. There is a revisiting and a reinterpretation of some nature motifs and content while bringing in lunar and celestial themes. The overarching narrative in my “Polaris” solo show is a celebration of the journey my work will take and the journey it has already taken… both literally and figuratively.

As an artist who works in a combination of realism and abstraction, I have included both in my conceptual design elements. I have produced visual studies in different levels of context and in the idea of one’s own “North Star.” I want to create a point of connection and an interesting visual story for my viewer. I hope that they find an energy and celebration for exploration, both inward to the individual journey of the self and outward to the collective mission to further understand our shared universe.

-Traci Wright Martin

I want to thank the Metropolitan Arts Council for the artist grant I received for a portion of this solo exhibition project and for the organization's continued support of all of us in the Greenville art community!

“This exhibition is funded in part by the Metropolitan Arts Council which receives support from the City of Greenville, BMW Manufacturing Company, SEW Eurodrive and South Carolina Arts Commission.”