Intersecting Realities: Artistic Reflections on Everyday Life and Space Exploration
In Intersecting Realities: Artistic Reflections on Everyday Life and Space Exploration, we explore everyday reimaginings and futuristic space exploration from the unique perspectives of two artists. Cathrine Whited illustrates and categorizes ordinary objects and pop culture icons to reveal hidden layers of meaning. The concept of "Lesbian Space Crime," inspired by real-life events involving astronaut Anne McClain, explores themes of utopia, queerness, and human ambition within societal structures. Together, these artists offer a compelling contrast between the familiar and the speculative, prompting us to reconsider the boundaries of art and imagination.
Reimagining the Everyday in Cathrine Whited’s Work
Tell us briefly who you are? What themes does your current work address?
Cathrine Whited is an artist in the most essential definition of experiencing the world, processing it, and producing a new way for others to see. Her work is derived from everyday objects that surround us and pop culture icons. Using things we see every day, Cathrine reimagines and categorizes them. Processing and labeling each of these objects somehow helps her to understand the world while simultaneously showing others the beauty of isolating things around us we often take for granted.
How does your current work fit into your larger body of work?
The current work being shown is part of a larger ongoing artistic process of illustrating and labeling objects and icons. Written lists are first made addressing a specific subject. Then Cathrine illustrates and checks off each line on the list. The current work is simply a small viewing of some of the lists she makes.
As an artist, what are your essential materials and/or tools for building a new world?
Cathrine draws on common office printer paper and uses colored pencils or markers. Despite community feedback asking to use archival paper, she prefers the common office printer paper. Perhaps like her subject matter, she is drawn to the everyday and accessible objects that surround us all.
Did any books, music, film, news, or other art inform your work in this exhibition?
Cathrine is very passionate about specific movies but the work in this exhibition truly emanates more from the objects that surround her in an everyday setting. She has made volumes of work outside of this exhibition on Chuck-e-Cheese, the Lion King, Mr. Men and Little Miss.
How have the events of the past several years—the global pandemic, increased advocacy for social reform, and striking political division—changed or challenged your practice?
I don't think it's changed Cathrine's work in any way noticeable.
If you could travel to any time, past or future, where would you go? Why?
Corresponding by mail and hand-writing invitations to friends about exciting gatherings in the future is what Cathrine loves most. Cathrine loves planning the next event where the invitation will have a long party list of items and amenities like pepperoni pizza, Pepsi, chocolate cake, etc.
Lesbian Space Crime
The year is 2019. And 1983. And 1961. And it is also 2024.
Reported as the "first crime in space” in 2019, Astronaut Anne McClain allegedly accessed her estranged wife's bank account without permission from the International Space Station. That allegation inspired me to create a series of prints and objects, some of which you see in A New World: Ohio Women to Watch 2023-24. Using “Space” and its evocations as a container, these works poke and prod our broken hearts and how they, left unexamined, predestine the outcomes of our future building. Essentially, if the vacuum of space is almost perfect for utopic aspirations, avoiding the complications of existing peoples and governments, we, as a species, are not.
"Hello, She Told Me It Just Wasnʼt Working" Monotypes, ladder, cast silicone 37" x 41", 2021
It is no secret that Utopia’s fail, but it doesn’t make them any less alluring. We continuously sacrifice the living for these failed futures. And, while I do believe in dreaming about the betterment of the human experience for all, we too often ignore the (often messy) "now" in our aspirational efforts at the expense of the "possible now".
"Earth, Moon, Mars. Go." Monotype 22” x 19” 2021
not shown in “A New World: Ohio Women to Watch 2023-24
In my practice, form and research are intimately linked. My work most often explores queerness and navigating socially assigned narratives. “Lesbian Space Crime” allows this exploration in the context of the future building and exposes how deeply human we are in our search for Utopia. As an astronaut, Anne McClain embodies “making it” and offers potential firsts for queer people and women. Her public narrative is celebrated in progressive spaces. She is also a product of a government proverbial ladder. She is, ultimately, a soldier being considered for the 2026 return to the Moon.*
She was not selected for the 2026 Artemis III return to the moon
"Impressions from a Future Moon" Caption: Cast Silicone 22 x 22 2021
I hope to use humor and haptic strategies, to anchor viewers in the present and evoke bodily response to the image/object. In these works specifically, I am casting silicone and creating monoprints, which allows for improvisation during their production and presents their process as a product.
Ultimately, this work explores what McClain’s “Lesbian Space Crime” may reveal about our search for and sabotaging of Utopia. I have enjoyed playing with these ideas and pairing the reverence of space with the irreverent earnestness of heartbreak and desire.
