To enter the studio of Silvia Poloto is a little bit like stepping into a maelstrom. Not that her living/work space appears tornado-hit, far from it. Silvia’s living space is an exhibition showcase, elegant and orderly, and her adjoining work studio is what you would expect from such a prolific artist (a visitor hardly knows which way to turn as there are so many works in progress competing for his or her attention). No, it is not the physical presentation that causes one to feel as if they are caught up in a whirlwind … it is, rather, the passion and enthusiasm of the artist. From the first work one sees, Silvia begins to share a barrage of ideas and messages that inform and are conveyed in her art. It is an irresistible excitement of the mind that captures you and makes you realize you are in the presence of not only a dynamic individual, but a profoundly informed artist.
The Triton Museum of Art showcases art and artists of California. While this parameter surely applies to Silvia Poloto, she and her work transcend any such boundaries. Silvia’s work is extensively showcased both here and abroad, and there is a reason for such widespread appeal. It is expressed in the articulate rush of information from the artist, and it informs her work. Silvia’s art is an expression of the many layers of memory, culture, ideas and ideals that make up the psyche of the artist. And it is this very psyche that ignites response in peoples here or in Brazil or in Jordan or in any of the many countries in which her works have been shown. What we and others experience in absorbing Silvia’s message, is that her experiences are our experiences, her memories are our memories, her sense of connection is our sense of connection, and through her art, she is we. Peel back the layers, metaphorically indicated by her layered images, and we see the connection of all, regardless of locale or origin.
The Triton Museum of Art is pleased to host this exhibition by Silvia Poloto. Her voice joins ours in this celebration of her work, and in the universality of her message.
Preston Metcalf
Chief Curator
Triton Museum of Art