Artist examines corporate decline, moral decay

Boise-based artist Stephanie Wilde heard rumors that a local CEO and his wife were misusing their power in the community.

"How did their moral compass come off the radar?" Wilde asked.

"Harmed," the most recent exhibit at the Salt Lake Art Center, is Wilde's interpretation of the corruption and greed she witnessed in the corporate world of her own community.

Wilde began the collection's first piece, aptly named "Harmed," in 2000. Shortly after she began, the Enron scandal exploded on a national stage, adding to her inspiration.

"Harmed" is a 13-panel piece. The center panel features a group of praying, bare-bottomed people. Surrounding panels depict those bodies falling, with no end in sight.

"It is not physical. They lost their identities and would not know they were harmed," Wilde said, adding that they are "falling into an abyss and have no idea where they were headed."

There are 10 pieces in the "Harmed" exhbition. Each is matted with fine grey silk to represent the silk suits associated with success in the corporate world.

Each piece is composed of acrylic and ink with gold and silver leaf.

Wilde has a way of constructing intricate background patterns beautifully and thoughtfully.

The geometric patterns were carefully planned to represent wrongdoing and prison — sometimes figurative, other times literal.

"It has a way of drawing you in before you realize what it is getting at," Wilde said. "It's sobering, while thought-provoking."

Wilde's work on the topic of corporate decline and the loss of faith in the corporate system continued to grow as the economic decline showed no sign of relief.

"A Silver Tongue," Wilde's piece depicting Bernie Madoff, was taken right out of news headlines.

The man in the piece is pig-like and Wilde said this represents the hazard of not doing the right thing.

The subtle colors of the pieces are accented with gold leaf, appropriate for the topic of greed.

"Moral Hazard," a seven-panel piece, pictures piles of gold with small figures trying to hold the weight while a large man atop the pile of riches peers down.

"Our culture has (prepared) us for this," Wilde said. "We are not dreaming."

This exhibition is the first time even Wilde has seen her entire collection displayed together.

The artist is referring to its run at the Salt Lake Art Center as its "maiden voyage."

"Harmed" incorporates the beauty of simple colors with precise detailing that tells a horror story.

"I'm not trying to make judgement on corporations," Wilde said.

"It is something we are going through as a culture — something we all took part of."

"Harmed" will continue to run in the Main Gallery of the Salt Lake Art Center through Oct. 10. The exhibition is free to the public.

e-mail: jnicholls@desnews.com