Margaret Craig’s solo exhibition at San Antonio Art League and Museum (SAAL+M) visually engages viewers in abstracted forms and colors reminiscent of the ocean as she makes a commentary on human interaction with our environment. I visited the show twice - once by myself and once with my niece. Walking through the space alone, I felt a small tug to be more environmentally conscious. This feeling grew when I walked through the galleries with my eleven-year-old niece, Iyvah. We not only talked about what we enjoyed in the works, but also how we interacted with the environment and plastics.
Photograph of Margaret Craig's Jungle Evolutions with Space Junk (2024) installed at SAAL+M.
We first stopped to look at Jungle Evolutions with Space Junk (2024). Iyvah, not aware of the role she was about to assume, became one of my students in an art history class. I could have stood there and told her what she should see, but I instead started our visit by asking her, “What do you see?” She started off describing the shell-like forms protruding from the canvas and large cloud-like shapes scattered across the composition. And then, after a few minutes of silence and intense examination,, she noticed random bits of plastic and metal integrated into the work: a push pin, a bread tag, strips of plastic wrapping from a soda bottle, plastic pearls jewelry, and more! Once she noticed these things, I posed the question, “Why would these be here?” She didn’t have an answer, but I knew we’d get to one by the end of our visit.
Photorgaph of Margaret Craig's sculptural works Bleached Reef Installation and Creature from the Bleached Lagoon SAAL+M.
As we moved into the next gallery space, we were greeted by a large, plastic monster. Scattered around the being were smaller, coral-like sculptural forms of - though devoid of much color,which marks the harm that is occurring to our oceans. There’s something playful and unsettling about this creature created from recycled materials. A greenish tint glistens under the gallery lights from the layers of plastic scales that form its scales. The same plastic material makes up its beak-like mouth and sharp teeth. Red, glossy plastic eyes stare out at viewers from sclera made from the back of styrofoam bowls. Iyvah quickly connected this work to a plastic sculpture of a sea turtle we see every year when we visit Sea Turtle, Inc. at South Padre Island.
Detail of Bleached Reef Installation.
The sculptures, Bleached Reef Installation and Creature from the Bleached Lagoon, are what sparked our conversation about plastic usage on our ride home. Iyvah was already familiar with its harm in our ocean, but she didn’t realize how ingrained plastic is in our everyday life. I asked her to name all of the things made from plastic that she could see in the car. She was quiet, not quite sure what was plastic so I asked about specific items. My phone - the silicone case and screen protector; our Stanley cups - the straws and toppers; grocery bag containing the trash; the buttons on the car’s radio, and the cell phone holder. Iyvah became aware just how much plastic we used daily, and I challenged her to be more conscious of her use of plastic. It’s hard, because it’s what our capitalist society promotes - cheap products that are meant to be quickly discarded.
Detail of Bleached Reef Installation and base of Creature from the Bleached Lagoon.
The materials of Craig’s works reveal her concern for the environment. More importantly, it generates important dialogue for future generations. What world will they live in? Will we leave it better than we found it, or hand them ruins?
Craig’s show is open through November 2, 2024 at the San Antonio Art League and Museum.
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