Beth Waldman

For three decades now, Waldman has been setting up camp around the world. From her Princeton sandbox to the Plaza of Sonoma, she has worked from what is revealed by site and the fingerprints she imparts always with the help of strangers. Her art considers the history of the materials used to construct not only the streets and buildings of the site, but also the experience of the local community. From the architectural language of selected landscapes, materials from or inspired by imaginary & actual sites, and the stories of those residing in those spaces, the framework for her artwork is constructed.

 Most recently, Waldman returned from a trip to Arequipa, Peru, a place she has visited many times over her life. To Waldman, Arequipa is not only a tourist destination, but her maternal homeland.  “The Absense of Presence” shares a side of Arequipa that is not typically seen. The paintings in this series invite you into the streets of Arequipa and the homes and lives of generations of natives.