Persephone Returned — Impression of Rinelle Harper Print

Through encaustic paintings, interactive sculptures, audio/video installations and workshops, I address urgent contemporary social issues. Core to my practice is connecting art with communities— inspiring people of diverse cultures, ages and walks of life to engage with art, share stories, and consider how it relates to their lives. Canadian-born, I come from over ten generations of human rights activists, philosophers, rabbis, artists and refugees. Uniting us all is the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam: each individual’s responsibility to repair the world. Encaustic painting, practiced by Greek artists since 400 B.C, evolves through successive layers of molten beeswax, each fused to the previous one with a torch or iron. An active partner in my process, beeswax asserts itself texturally and sculpturally as I paint, layer, fuse, scrape, and re-work. This medium also embodies the multiple layers of meaning in my work. Drawing inspiration from personal experiences, psychology and mythology, particularly stories of archetypal females, I honour women’s strength and wisdom in the face of adversity. My work celebrates visionary contemporary women of all ages, orientations, cultures and walks of life making a difference in our world today. Each painting’s title and story parallels a legendary heroine with a contemporary woman. By fusing the past with the present, I invite viewers to look at women in a new light, as a means to illuminate and address urgent contemporary social issues. I paint faces, recognizable yet abstracted, closeup so the viewer can look into their eyes without distractions and feel what remarkable people they are. In this way, I challenge traditional representations of women in art which normalize objectification and violence against women. Through dialogue, reflection and the power of art, I aim to inspire, provoke change, dismantle harmful narratives, and contribute to a more equitable society.