Artist Julia Barello’s swirling wall installation titled Swoop features a swarm of birds cut out of MRI film. The circling silhouettes create a galactic spiral against the white wall, reversing the colors naturally depicting outer space. There’s something very organic and universal about the piece that is clearly inspired by nature. It is also interesting to think that the flock of birds are made of a medium that is typically used in medical technology to record and analyze a human’s internal organs. Perhaps there is an underlying message of connectivity.
Barello’s history of works utilize MRI film and x-rays to create similarly spectacular installations. In her piece titled Updraft, the New Mexico-based artist takes the process of hand-cutting and composing each film-based structure a step further by dying them to create an eclectic simulation of autumnal leaves blowing in the wind. The colorful installation is then pinned to the wall with silver or steel in a site-specific configuration.
The placement of each piece of her floral and nature-heavy puzzle is methodically precise and aesthetically pleasing. There’s something visually arresting about each of Barello’s works.
