Tiffin University’s Diane Kidd Gallery to Host “Ecosystems in Elegy”

The Diane Kidd Gallery at Tiffin University is pleased to present Ecosystems in Elegy, an evocative exhibition by ceramic artist Carmen Ostermann, now on display through December 6, 2024. An artist reception will take place Friday, November 1 from 5-7 p.m., offering a unique opportunity to meet the artist and explore her compelling works firsthand. Light refreshments will be provided and this event is free and open to the public.

Ostermann's sculptures examine the fragility of ecosystems and the devastating impact of environmental destruction. Her art juxtaposes the delicate beauty of nature against the irreversible harm being inflicted upon it. Through a combination of hand-built ceramic, fiber and illustration, Ostermann meticulously constructs intricate representations of birds entwined in their decaying habitats. Each piece is carved with painstaking detail-every feather, bill and talon a tribute to the beauty of the natural world, yet burdened by nodes of flora, fungi and coral, symbolizing ecological succession.

In Ecosystems in Elegy, the stark, alabaster color of her sculptures forewarns a possible future devoid of life's vibrant chroma, asking viewers to contemplate the annihilation caused by human negligence. Through her labor-intensive process, Ostermann offers her time and artistry as an act of devotion to the environment, challenging the audience to reflect on their relationship with nature and what is ultimately worth preserving.

About the Artist: Carmen Ostermann, born in Edgewood, Kentucky, was raised across the U.S., Canada, Japan and the Philippines. She holds a BFA in ceramics and sculpture from the University of Cincinnati and an MFA from the Columbus College of Art & Design. Ostermann's work has been featured in prestigious venues such as the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History and the Ohio Craft Museum. An educator and conservationist, she currently serves as the Administrative and Project Coordinator at Columbus Audubon, where she integrates her passion for art, education and the environment.

For more information, visit the Diane Kidd Gallery's website at tiffin.edu/arts/diane-kidd-gallery or email Joseph Van Kerkhove at [email protected]