Ann Barrett
MFA ’15 Fine Arts Low-Residency
My series Ars longa is about ancient life forms. Focusing on the first part of the phrase Ars longa, vita brevis, the “artists” in my series are those who lived long before us, throughout the millions of years of Earth’s evolution. Fossils of the lozenge-shaped Dickinsonia have been chemically analyzed, revealing them to be the first non-microscopic animals to live on Earth. In 2018, an unusually well-preserved fossil was found to contain cholesterol, a fat present only in animals’ bodies. A vast diversity of animal life has sprung from those first individuals.
Visual culture from many sources—especially science, nature, and art—informs my practice. The depth of time and the diversity of beings that have lived on Earth, and whose descendants still live today, piques my imagination. This history foregrounds the responsibility we humans share in creating the future. Dickinsonia highlight the long line of life on our planet, our role now, and its continuation.
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nn Barrett
Ann Barrett works in watercolor and oil on a variety of supports. With roots in observational drawing, her imagery fluctuates between figuration and abstraction. Over the past two years Barrett’s painting has expanded into explorations in three dimensions. The paintings have been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout New England. Barrett earned an MFA from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2015.
