2021 Master of Fine Arts thesis exhibition IV

Sara Pearson calls this exhibition, and the body of work that it supports forms of relief. The word relief has several meanings: in the sculptural sense, the Latin root word relevo means to “raise or to lighten”, visually resulting in sculpture that combines two- and three-dimensional forms supported by a background of the same material. Relief as an emotion, means to feel happiness after a period of anxiety, stress or pain. Those who live with, or have experienced chronic pain or illness, understand that true relief will never be a reality. Something chronic does not go away—it is something that is managed and lived with as well as possible.

The artwork in this thesis examines this dual reality of relief and chronic pain through material and conceptual explorations by presenting artistic representations of cognitive and physical restoration practices that resonate with personal meaning.

The exhibition can be viewed by appointment please contact: sara.pearson@uwaterloo.ca or tlcooper@uwaterloo.ca.

Originally from a small island on the west coast of Canada, Sara Pearson is a multidisciplinary artist based in Toronto. She received a BFA, major in drawing and painting, from the Ontario College of Art and Design University in 2015. Her work centers on the merging of science and a self-reflexive fine arts practice. Sara is a member of the arts organization, Akin Collective. She has shown with Patel Gallery in Toronto, and has participated in numerous group exhibitions in the region.

Sara Pearson's website