MARLENE TSENG YU DEBUTED HER LATEST MURAL, “AURORA BOREALIS”

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