Potential
clay, synthetic hair, wax, pigment
Figures around 10" tall, Installation is 88"x 45" x 84"
Contours of Belonging
My intention with this work is to investigate the intangible lines that we draw around ourselves. I call these lines “contours” because they are constantly changing depending on perspective. Sometimes the lines form a boundary between “us” and “them” and sometimes they overlap and form connections. We all draw multiple contours, compounding who we are. An individual can belong inside the edge of a group, which overlaps the contours of other groups, and yet still maintain his/her boundary of individuality.
I am curious about the substance of these contours, and the tensions they create: How does a person decide if he/she belongs? How can performing a culture be a means of entrance into a group? Does the emphasis on individuality lead to more isolation, even when surrounded by loved ones or the groups we belong to? Can difference be a uniting factor?
The word “belonging“ contains some of this tension. It can be seen as one word, or as two: “be longing.” Within it is both the union of being a part of something and the state of longing.
