Nassau-born, Atlanta-based artist Lillian Blades presents 'Through the Veil,' her first solo museum exhibition, at the Sarasota Art Museum. The show features suspended mixed-media assemblages called 'veils,' made from Plexiglas, wood, family photographs, and found objects, stitched together with a metallic knotting technique. Inspired by her mother, who was a quilter and died in childbirth, Blades creates immersive, tapestry-like works that envelop viewers and cast intricate shadows on the museum's walls and floors. The exhibition also includes earlier wall assemblages encrusted with three-dimensional materials like antique mirrors and empty picture frames.
The exhibition matters because it marks a significant milestone for Blades, transitioning from painter to creator of large-scale sculptural environments that blend personal history with Caribbean color and texture. By transforming the museum space into a labyrinth of hanging veils, Blades invites viewers to engage with themes of memory, identity, and maternal legacy. The show highlights how contemporary artists are expanding traditional craft techniques—such as quilting—into immersive, site-specific installations, offering a deeply personal yet universally resonant experience that redefines the boundaries of mixed-media art.