Mary Toscano & Andrew Rease Shaw — LFO
Material Gallery Presents LFO, an intersection between quilts and synthesizers by Utah-based artists Mary Toscano and Andrew Rease Shaw.
Material Gallery is excited to present an immersive installation featuring Mary Toscano's intricate handmade quilts and Andrew Rease Shaw's evocative soundscapes. The installation blends visual and auditory dimensions into a cohesive multisensory experience. LFO will be on view in Salt Lake City from January 25 to March 8, 2025.
Mary Toscano and Andrew Rease Shaw reside in Salt Lake City and have been companions for 18 years. LFO marks their first collaborative exhibition. Toscano's diverse art practice spans drawing, printmaking, bookmaking, textiles, and writing, while Shaw is a multi-disciplinary artist working in graphic design, publications, photography, music, sound, and experimental mediums.
In Toscano's and Shaw's artists statement for LFO, they write, "In the world of music, LFO (low-frequency oscillator) refers to a waveform that modulates parameters within a synthesizer, producing effects such as vibrato, tremolo, or other dynamic movements. LFOs typically follow waveforms like sine, square, triangle, and sawtooth waves. These waveforms echo the geometric shapes found in traditional quilt patterns — log cabin quilts are built of square angles; flying geese are distinctively triangular; half-rectangle triangles resemble sawtooth waves; and the curved arcs in the drunkard's path evoke the flowing motion of sine waves." This parallel between the visual language of quilting and the technical structure of sound synthesis sparked a conversation between Toscano and Shaw, inspiring the creation of the works in LFO.
Throughout the exhibition, Material Gallery will host a series of Listening Sessions, providing a free opportunity for visitors to quietly listen to Shaw's complete musical composition while contemplating the beauty and complexity of Toscano's quilts. The Listening sessions are free, and tickets can be reserved at ToscanoShaw.eventbrite.com.
In addition to the quilt and sound installation, Toscano and Shaw collaborated on a series of eight letterpress prints and two assemblages that reinterpret block patterns found in the quilts, further blurring the lines between textile art and sound design.
Material co-founder Jorge Rojas expresses, "At Material, our mission is to bring innovative, thought-provoking, contemporary art to Utah. We are thrilled to present this unique collaboration between two highly respected artists in our community. In this new project, Toscano and Shaw bring together two seemingly disparate art forms, which, at first, may seem as if they are from two different eras. Yet, they have managed to create a bridge that works and does so in mind-blowing, earth-grounding ways. We are excited for our community to experience this multisensory, meditative, and harmonious environment at the intersections of tradition and innovation."
Material will host an opening reception for Mary Toscano and Andrew Rease Shaw on Saturday, January 25, from 5:00-9:00 p.m., with a listening session from 5:00-5:30 p.m. and an artist talk from 5:30-6:00 p.m. The exhibition will also be available for viewing on Friday, February 21, 6:00-8 p.m., as part of Salt Lake City's Gallery Stroll, during the closing reception on Saturday, March 8, from 6:00-8 p.m., and by appointment. Toscano and Shaw will be present at all related events providing a unique opportunity for visitors to engage with them and gain a deeper understanding of their work.
About the Artists
Mary Toscano and Andrew Rease Shaw live in Salt Lake City, where they have been companions for 18 years. LFO is their first two-person exhibition together.
Toscano’s art practice includes drawing, printmaking, bookmaking, textile works, and writing. They publish fine press books under the name All Snakes Press. They have exhibited at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA), the Alice Gallery, God Hates Robots, Kayo Gallery, GARFO Art Center, and Central Utah Art Center. They work as a labor organizer for Local 1010 tech workers’ union.
Shaw is a multi-disciplinary artist working in graphic design, publications, photography, music, sound, and experimental mediums. Through his Torpor House imprint, he designs and distributes art zines, indie publications, and other printed ephemera. He has provided the musical score for several feature films, including The Strongest Man (Sundance, 2015) and My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To (Tribeca, 2020). He serves on the board of The Davey Foundation, a non-profit supporting emerging filmmakers, and works at the Salt Lake City Arts Council.
About Material
Built on the collective vision of artists Jorge Rojas and Colour Maisch, Material is a multifaceted art space housing a commercial gallery, artist studios, classes and community events. Material exhibits local, national, and international artists through community-centered events and collaborations.
