Sorry, I'm Not Leaving | Britta Urness

Urness, Britta

Exhibition & Reception

Sorry, I'm Not Leaving by Britta Urness will be on exhibit from Jan. 9 - Feb. 28, 2020. Reception: Fri. Jan. 17, 6-8 PM with a Members's only Artist Talk at 5:30 PM.

This exhibition is generously sponsored by Gary & Nancy McRay.

Artist Bio

Britta Urness lives in Lansing, MI. She is the (in)Process Studio Educator at the MSU Broad's Art Lab. She earned her BFA in Studio Art from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MFA in Painting with a minor in Printmaking from the University of Iowa. She has shown her work regionally and nationally.

Artist Statement

Sorry, I'm Not Leaving is a debut of new work. Britta states:

"This work investigates both 2-dimensional and sculptural forms that can act as surfaces for narrative, drawn mark, textures, and print language. Printmaking plays a big role in the work, either in complete prints or as a way to produce collage material. Monotype is a very layered and abstracted way to develop space onto the paper surface, and it offers a great deal of chance and surprise on the press. The subject matter exists in an oblique atmosphere of visual static, while hinting at figuration and gestures. Whether it’s a jewelry box, a flat surface or a strange shape, I aim to have the work to act as a container for both the past (remnants, nostalgia, and regret) and the future (doubt, hopes, and aspirations).

When viewing my past sculptural work, a colleague once said, 'It’s like a woman’s version of a Joseph Cornell shadow box.' This resonated with me, since Cornell and surrealist collage is a heavy influence in how I construct a “headspace” in much of my work. A through-line of this work deals with my own debate with where and how to establish a home and whether to #lovelansing. There’s a push and pull for me between wanting a transient and temporary existence without material things, but to also nurture a home base and establish a more permanent life."