RLS is excited to present Book of Hours, a deeply introspective exhibition featuring 20 original oil paintings by Mia Bergeron. The opening reception will take place on April 4 from 5-8pm as part of the Charleston Art Walk. This captivating new series invites viewers to contemplate the nature of time and the complex, often contradictory ways in which we experience both the external world and our inner realities.
In Book of Hours, Bergeron creates a dialogue between the ordinary and the other-worldly, examining how small moments accumulate to define our larger experience of existence. The artist explains: “This series is a meditation on time and the presence of our daily interactions. That presence is often both external AND internal.”Drawing from the conundrum of living with an overactive mind, Bergeron reflects on the peculiar duality of our experience. “I can witness a powerful storm or churning ocean, and yet be wondering about what I will have for dinner and if I have enough laundry detergent. It doesn’t always go that way of course, but it’s an interesting thing to notice the degree to which we can all have a foot in the other-worldly and another in the ordinary.”
This series focuses on the union of these two realms, exploring how this balance manifests throughout the hours of the day. “Interestingly, this conversation can also go the other direction: a seemingly small act like cutting an orange the wrong way can make me think about my own mortality, and question the reason for pain. We live in this dichotomy of two realms constantly, and this series is about how that union shows up at different hours of the day.”
The artist also draws inspiration from the words of Annie Dillard: “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing.” These words encapsulate the essence of Book of Hours — the larger themes of existence are made up of small moments of time. “This series is a dedication to those smaller microcosms that collectively create our reality.”Join us for the opening of Book of Hours at RLS on April 4th, where gallery owner Robert Lange says, “You can engage with these evocative pieces and experience a new lens through which to view your own moments of time. We look forward to welcoming you to the gallery for this inspiring exhibition.”
