Taking the ‘Still’ out of Art
Jaime Roth (CFA’07) sets paintings in motion to create three-dimensional works of art.
Capturing the essence of movement in a still piece of art is a lofty endeavor, but that’s what painting major Jaime Roth tries to do. “My work functions as a visual analog of the gathering and releasing of visceral and mental energy,” says Roth (CFA’07). “An ocean wave has no starting point, and when it crashes onto the shore, it falls back into itself, folds back, and regenerates.” Her paintings, she says, mirror that “oceanic system of physical forces.”
Roth experiments with new materials — such as enamel paint, pigment sticks, and charcoal — to determine how they move in relation to how she moves. “I rework the surfaces through an additive and subtractive process,” she explains. “The memory of my touch on each surface remains, but it has also been transformed, creating a new translation of energy.”
Ultimately, Roth wants to transform paintings from two- to three-dimensional works of art. “I hope to expand what a conventional painting is by making the surface something that can be walked into and not merely looked at from one view,” she says.
Roth’s artwork was selected by the BU Art League, a student-run group based in the CFA school of visual arts. The organization helps undergraduate student artists learn more about the art world than they might normally learn in the classroom. The Art League tries to build a strong community through monthly meetings, exhibition opportunities, and a monthly newsletter. For more information, contact Patrick Short (CFA’08) at shortp@bu.edu.
Vicky Waltz can be reached at vwaltz@bu.edu.