Emily Gui

The existence of the dissent to Dobbs V. Jackson Women's Health Organization is both gratifying and exasperating. Like a balm, it vindicates what I know and believe. But as a dissent, these words are the minority opinion in the court, not worthless but unsuccessful. The first three pages I was assigned spoke to my experience-- they talk about choice, bodily autonomy, sexism, freedom and patriarchy. They reflect what I have always felt but came to know deeply when accessing an abortion myself while living in a red state. However, overall, these ideas were reflected elsewhere in the dissent with even more clarity. My final page, number 27, begins to point to something sinister in a different way, challenging me to look beyond my anger at the loss of Roe. It warns us that many other fundamental constitutional rights (contraception, marriage freedom etc.) are at risk with this decision, setting a dangerous precedent for the future. I saw this as the fundamental message of my pages, and looking beyond my personal grief, something I should to reckon with and prepare for with empathy. 

I wanted to strain over the text and feel it physically. Woodcut and relief printing is a laborious, time-consuming process. It is also the original and oldest way that text was widely disseminated before the printing press, laser printers and screens. My woodcut is illegible-- it is mirrored and carved by a novice with basic tools at 12 point scale, too small to hold details. At many points this process felt futile, frustrating and uncertain. As I carved the words became incomprehensible-- not worthless but unsuccessful still. After inking the block and pulling an impression, I paired the finished print with a transfer of the original text. I hope this allows a visual connection between the two halves of the piece, inviting a viewer to read closely and with care.

Bio

Emily Gui (pronounced "Guy") is an interdisciplinary artist and educator. Moving between printmaking, sculpture, photography and installation, her work often pushes the boundaries of process and technique through layering and material experimentation. Her current work re-materializes objects and examines the nuances of human relationships with ubiquitous materials, from collections to garbage and everything in between. At the edge of familiar, her recent projects encourage slow-looking while challenging habits of devouring images and objects.

She has exhibited in galleries throughout the US including Berkeley Art Museum (BAMPFA), Print Center of New York, The University of Texas, Root Division, SoEx, Wayfarers, Incline Gallery, NIAD, Kala Gallery and at Cuesta College. She has taught at Kala Art Institute regularly since 2015 and currently teaches printmaking at UC Berkeley and UC Davis. She received her B.A. in Studio Arts from Bard College in 2012 and her MFA from the UC Berkeley Art Practice Department in 2021.