Sara Mast

Fall Equinox
encaustic and pigment on paper; 30 x 42″ in.

My current paintings use mapping as a process to reference the satellite imaging that continually takes place all around us as well as to imply the ‘psychogeographic’ mapping that occurs within us as we try to make sense of our place at the intersection of the sensual and the virtual worlds. These imaginal paintings incorporate multiple references from scientific star charts and diagrams of neuronal dendrites to maps of ancient cities and bits of lost languages that appear to expand and contract like living organisms.

Natural pigments are fused into the surface, in a painting process of layering, scraping, melting, and dripping encaustic. The translucent quality of beeswax makes a strong reference to human flesh, and allows me to embed layers of information about place and culture in the body of the work while simultaneously revealing it as if through geologic or archaeological strata. Time and space are recorded in physical depth, and elements of ancient and modern languages collide to create a dense palimpsest of another language released from the obligation of forming words and sentences.

© Sara Mast