Mia Feuer

Monumental bridge-like sculptures are cantilevered from opposing walls in Mia Feuer’s Kahn studio. And, although a new bridge is being constructed over Johnson’s Gihon River directly outside the studio, her project had its origins abroad, growing out of her questions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“I definitely don’t have answers,” Mia Feuer, sculptor of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Perhaps this is why her intention is to create art that is both poetic--as exemplified by the “avalanche of dissonance,” violins cascading from the opposing sides of the bridge—and visually seductive to encourage dialogue, rather than polarizing communities and closing doors.

With support from the Winnipeg and Manitoba arts councils, Mia has spent time in both Israel and Palestine; she has studied the history of the region for her whole life and loves people on both sides. “We used cardboard boxes from fruit stands to build a puppet theater,” she recounts of her work with Palestinian children, “the kids had to take every single box through a check point.”

During her VSC residency supported by the Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Mia’s work has been bolstered by studio visits from Visiting Artists and Writers, fellow residents, Johnson State College students and the local middle school students who are writing poems in response to her work through VSC’s Learning in Art & Culture Program.

“My studio is beautiful and the people here are amazing,” Mia glows.  The VSC community has played a crucial role in the completion of her new work.  This is particularly true of a piece entitled, “Operation Cast Lead,” which she wasn’t planning to make after receiving an estimate that it would cost $2,000 to have a child’s violin cast in lead.  However, the VSC community rallied.  One resident provided her with the lead; another resident bought one of her paintings, supplying Mia with the money to buy latex; and a staff artist helped her to build a crucible.

A recent MFA graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, Mia is the first in her working class family to attend a university.  It’s been a challenge for her to pay for art supplies, the storage and the transport of her work.  The VSC residency fellowship has given her time, space, and support to prepare for her upcoming shows which include one of 8 small works at the Fred Dorfman Projects (NYC) in December 2009, a solo exhibition at the Arlington Arts Center (Virginia) in Spring 2010; and a solo show at Burlington Firehouse Gallery in May 2010, which will feature Mia’s latest bridge installation and “Operation Cast Lead.”

photo courtesy of Howard Romero