Images of the first creations in the umbrella area of sculpture, the pieces focus on totems and explore materiality through combination.
These are some of the first objects I made during my studio practice, they centre around the concept of Totems and explore this idea generally without being specific to any culture. I started by investigating what the word actually means by exploring definitions.
”An animal or other natural object that is chosen and respected as a special symbol of a community or family, especially among Native Americans; an image of this animal, etc.” Definition from Oxford Learner’s Dictionary: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/totem
”An object (such as an animal or plant) serving as the emblem of a family or clan and often as a reminder of its ancestry. Also: a usually carved or painted representation of such an object. Or: a family or clan identified by a common totemic object” Definition from Merriam Webster: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/totem
This research helped me to identify what the core of a Totem is and how this sense of representation can be applied to my own work, perhaps I represent my home community or my immediate community. Most interestingly I also saw the potential to reflect my own internal community, in the sense that my thoughts, feelings, desires, knowledge etc. all live together in my settlement, meaning my identity and self expression are essentially an expression of multiple internal facets, not just one person or opinion.
Looking at the work reflectively I think there are some interesting elements, especially in the light and shadows of the sculptures. They seem to reference totems, although perhaps in a small way, and there is definitely a sense of ‘ready-made’ or ‘make-do’ attitude, in truth most of these pieces were balanced or assembled and not fixed; they could easily be broken down and reassembled to create a new version of the same piece. (similar to the way a zygote is made, breaking the DNA strand and then randomly reassembling it.)
Artists like Phyllida Barlow and Joel Shapiro were suggested to me as contextual points of interest. I also took an interest in Rasquachismo, the Mexican/Chicano art style that is based around a resourceful survivalist attitude but also around working with what you have to make the best you can. Latino and Chicano communities traditionally are more used to this mentality than some other communities (it is certainly a newer concept to me personally) however, in a world under Covid everyone is now having to be more resourceful than ever with less access than ever.
Rasquachismo definition and discussion: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/why-chicano-underdog-aesthetic-rasquachismo-having-its-day-180971490/
I want to expand my learning further around Minimalism, to study ways of using less to do more, but also expand my knowledge around Negritude, the art of other cultures and any art that communicates difference; since art history is profoundly linear in its telling.
A great post without any doubt.