MARLENE TSENG YU DEBUTED HER LATEST
MURAL, “AURORA BOREALIS” ON FEBRUARY 8 IN SPRINGFIELD MASSASCHUSETTS
The Springfield Museums presented The Essence of Nature: Paintings by Marlene
T. Yu (Green Movement in Art) in the D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, beginning February 8,
2020. Artist
Marlene Tseng Yu’s newest artwork, a 36-foot mural had its debut along with a
gallery of 19 of her other pieces.
Due to the recent COVID19, the
museums had to close. As of July 13,
with advanced tickets encouraged, they reopened to the public with several
safety protocols that you can find on their website. Since Marlene’s exhibit was part of the
closure, the museum was able to provide a virtual tour of her artwork. You can view it at
http:springfieldmuseums.org/exhibitions/essence-nature-paintings-marlene-yu
Hearing brilliant recommendations
the staff. Including Curator Maggie North, first viewed Marlene’s distinctive
artwork while visiting her studio at the Rainforest Art Foundation located in
Long Island City Yu’s own inspiration of the natural world and concern for the
effect of Global Warming, Marlene and
her husband, James have established the Foundation with locations in
Shreveport, Louisiana and Taiwan. The Rainforest
Art Foundation, whose mission is to increase
appreciation through art, supports other artists who share her desire to preserve
our planet. Still a vital working artist in her 80s, Yu’s career includes over
4000 nature-inspired works across more than thirty-five themed art series.
Marlene T. Yu (Chinese-American,
born 1937) has created monumental canvases using energetic brushstrokes and
vibrant colors. Born in Taiwan Yu came to the United States in 1963, where she
was exposed to Abstract Expressionism. For over fifty years, the artist has combined
Eastern and Western traditions to create these immersive abstracts that emphasize
both nature’s beauty and power.
“Visiting her studio, we wanted to
speak to her about some of the newer pieces as well as those in the past that also
pertained to the green movement,” said North. “As a Curator, I am able to
provide information about the space which now just about holds the 20 piece exhibition.
In choosing the artwork, we also gave suggestions as to what the public tends
to enjoy as well as Marlene’s vision that we executed in the gallery.”
“The exhibition really gives you a
sense of her work throughout the decades. We have pieces from the 70’s as well
as from the past decade. Her murals are quite immersive. They encourage you to
step back from the piece and as you are drawn into parts of the composition you
are inspired to walk closer, step back again and explore another part by honing
into it. Marlene deserves so much credit not only for the amount of thought and
time that she’s put into it but how the pieces will look in the gallery. It is
not often that we have the artist come to the museum and assist with the
installation.”
“The Essence of Nature
combines elemental images—earth, air, fire, water, ice, forest—in Yu’s unique
‘multi-dualistic’ style, focusing viewers on both the beauty and the fragility
of our natural world,” Smith continued. “The phrase multi-dualism
derives from Yu’s revolutionary art style. She illustrates multiple dualities:
in her artwork, she mirrors themes in nature, blends physical and emotional
subject matter, applies techniques she has developed from her Eastern and
Western backgrounds to highlight global concerns, and provides opportunities to
appreciate her paintings from different points of view.”
“Marlene Yu’s stunning monumental paintings push the
boundaries of expression through vibrant colors and energetic brushstrokes,”
said Heather Haskell, Vice President of the Springfield Museums and Director of
the Art Museums. “Her unique vision encourages all of us to take a moment to
appreciate the natural landscape around us and to work harder to preserve the
world’s ecological bounty.”
A pioneer in the environmental green
movement in art, in 2001 Yu founded the Rainforest
Art Foundation to support other artists who share
her desire to preserve Earth. The foundation’s mission is to increase appreciation of nature through art.
Still a vital, working artist in her 80s, Yu’s prolific career includes over
4000 nature-inspired works across more than thirty-five themed art series.
“The Springfield Museums are
honored to feature Marlene Yu’s monumental and revolutionary art,” said Kay
Simpson, President and CEO of the Springfield Museums. “We are eager to share
her vision and sensibilities with our visitors and raise awareness of the
environmental themes her work illuminates.”
For further information on the
exhibit and the four other museums, visit www.springfieldmuseums.org
