Nature Speaks Softly

Nature speaks softly

October 9, 2023 - January 8, 2024

The heart has many doors

Colored wire, plexi, thread, 2010

Anne Mondro reflects on how time spent in nature inspires personal discoveries and intellectual curiosity while serving as a positive distraction from recent experiences with grief and sadness. As a cancer survivor, she draws on these insights to create intricate organic sculptures reminiscent of flora and human anatomy. Mondro employs a methodical process of crocheting to fabricate the work. This traditional technique, primarily used by women, serves as a reflective tool to process her experiences and to contemplate nature's structural strength despite its delicate appearance. She displays her work in individual cases to highlight each unique sculpture and invite deeper exploration.

Anne Mondro is an artist and Associate Professor at the University of Michigan Stamps School of Art & Design. Mondro was diagnosed with stage three cancer in 2020 and then a recurrence in 2023, her artmaking practice has helped her cope with the challenges that come with illness and disease.