Art on art

A palimpsest, says the dictionary, is a parchment or tablet that has been written upon more than once, the earlier writings incompletely erased so that they remain partly visible. In her installation of the same title at the Montpelier Cultural Arts Center's library gallery, artist Lisa Austin uses the word a little differently. She uses a number of objects, particularly including historical and present-day maps, to explore both the landscape and the culture. With its many doors and windows, the library gallery lends itself well to an examination of the landscape and how people move through it and relate to it.

At the library gallery of Montpelier Cultural Arts Center, 12826 Laurel-Bowie Road, Laurel (Route 197 off the Baltimore Washington Parkway), through Aug. 24. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For information, call 410-792-0664.

Pub Date: 7/31/97