MESSAGE FROM THE CURATORS CTD.
Dear All,
It’s been illuminating to see the themes emerge among the posted works. Some of the connections appeared immediately to us, while others have developed more slowly and at times, imperceptibly. There are most likely others that we’ve not yet identified. In any case, it is making for some lively curatorial conversations. What follows are some brief observations on one of the more prominent motifs: the natural world.
Several of you have developed strong bodies of work around and in nature. One of the first to post on the site, Shana Robbins traveled to Iceland in order to stage private rituals and performances in its remote landscape. Shana’s interest in merging with animals and plants speaks of a desire to reclaim lost connections between human and natural realms, and she has drawn on a number of non-Western cultural and spiritual concepts to aid this union.
In similar fashion, Jenny Kendler and Molly Schafer have produced images that express a desire for new modes of interrelationality with the natural world. Jenny has identified an important theoretical and ethical framework in this context: the feminine sublime. Premised on the notion of respect for alterity, the feminine sublime describes a way of “being in the world” that dovetails with Karen Cleveland’s art. Karen has provocatively blurred the boundaries between site- and studio-based works, using performance, photography and painting to express notions of intimacy and connection.
In very different ways, Marisa Dipaola and Julia Oldham have literally assumed the perspective of the natural world: Marisa through her temporary occupation of a bear cave, and Julia with her embodiment of insect rituals. Julia’s observation, that her performances represent meditations on the fantasy that humans and invertebrates have a shared set of experiences has a lot in common with Saya Woolfalk’s (1, 2) complex narrative work. Saya’s empathics inhabit a utopian world in which everything and anything is possible.
A counterpoint to these perspectives, Jessica Westbrook’s art refers to artificial constructs of nature, from synthetic food substitutes to faux natural environments. Jessica raises a critical point about how our perceptions and valuations of the natural world are often culturally mediated. How, she tacitly asks, can we reconnect with the “real” natural world? Does it even exist?
Cheers,
Susan
I have loved getting to know the work of all of these women and having the opportunity to write back and forth about intersections in our work. I am particularly interested, after reading this post, in the idea of a “real” or “authentic” natural world. Just today someone said to me that she thought it was ironic that I use all of these “unnatural processes” (digital video, editing, soundmaking, computers) to find my inner insect in my videos. I was really excited by this idea–that to get back to “real” nature, I have to move through layers of technology. I wonder about some of the other artists’ ideas about “real” nature, and what routes they travel to find it?
Great question Julia. I’d love to hear what others think about it too.
Julia,
I, too, have been thinking about the ideas of “real” and “authentic” nature.
Most of the time we think of getting”back”in touch with “real” nature. We say this because we see the past as a time when humans were more in touch with nature. People had a closer relationship with nature and didn’t have the ability or technology to ignore nature. Nature was very “real.” When we think of it this way, we see our path as going backwards to a simpler more basic time.
If on the other hand, we are searching for an “authentic” meaning truthful or honest connection to nature, our path doesn’t lead backward in time. Julia, maybe your route isn’t backwards or forwards. Maybe it is just deeper. It doesn’t seem ironic to use technology to create a sense of clarity and illuminate a hidden “truth”about the world, as you have done so well.
I am fascinated by how often artist use ritual as the route to finding an authentic or meaningful connection to nature. Ritual is the way we use our whole body, not just our mind, to learn, to understand, and to transform.
I admire the great depth of Shana Robbins’ explorations of ritual. Her work excels at using her body as a medium to connect and respond to the natural world..
Jenny Kendler’s work also revolves around knowledge learned through the body. She describes this more eloquently than me when she said, “a drawing comes to me by locating the visceral sense of that experience on my own body” “ Tender and brutal, and often playful, I hope that these images, through intimacy, beauty and visceral transference, will bring to the viewer an awareness of their own body and mind in relation to the rest of the natural world.”
I was inspired by her description of her work. It has helped me to define my own idea of an “authentic” connection with nature. For me, the connection happens I experience a lucid glimpse of my body and mind in relation to the rest of the world and I still retain my sense of mystery about the unknown.
Laura Young
I too have thoroughly enjoyed participating on Losing Yourself. The discussions and discoveries of themes among our work is really invigorating.
Laura Y’s comment in regards to the recent past – “People had a closer relationship with nature and didn’t have the ability or technology to ignore nature.” relates to the work the curator’s have identified as the natural world motif.
We are going out to seek nature or nature encounters because we do not necessarily come across this in our daily life. The seeking part of our work seems key and perhaps highlights a human longing for the (more) natural world. This longing or need to engage and acknowledge nature leads us to travel outside of our daily life or studio life to gain a different perspective, mindset, and somewhat lose ourselves in the landscape.
More literal examples would include Shana Robbins remote performances, Karen Cleveland travels to the woods, Marisa Dipaola’s stay in the bear cave, and my own stay on Assateague Island.