Art Talk: Edward Holland and Mara Williams

Join artist Edward Holland and curator Mara Williams for a discussion and walkthrough of Celestial Sea, a body of work Holland began in 2014, built around mythology, myth-making, and the Zodiac.

Edward Holland’s works bring to life the full potential of collage as an aesthetic and conceptual device. Often combining mixed media such as oil paint, acrylic, graphite, and printed papers, his compositions are scaffolded by the linear geometry of zodiac constellations that provide a basic framework for each painting. Holland builds on this foundation with brushstrokes and collage, negotiating various elements on the picture plane to create unexpectedly moving juxtapositions.

For Holland, zodiac constellations—like art itself—represent an ancient way of storytelling and communicating universal myths about human nature and the world. His poetic works, reminiscent of Robert Rauschenberg’s North African collages that also incorporate printed papers and maintain geometric structures, speak to Holland’s keen ability to bring together disparate elements into surprising and fresh configurations.

Holland was born in Philadelphia in 1980. He received a B.F.A. in painting from Syracuse University and M.A. in studio art from New York University. His work has been shown in galleries nationwide, including Causey Contemporary, New York; Gallery 543 at URBN, Philadelphia; Long-Sharp Gallery, Indianapolis; MM Fine Art, Southampton, New York; and Gerald Peters Gallery, New York, and Santa Fe. His work has been discussed in ArtZealous, Huffington Post and Eyes Towards the Dove, among others. He lives and works in New York City.

This event is presented in connection with Edward Holland's Spring 2024 BMAC exhibition,

• Registration recommended; walk-ins welcome.

For accessibility questions and requests, please email or call 802-257-0124 x101.

Host or Publisher Brattleboro Museum & Art Center