Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Covered with Hair and Sunk in Damnation








I created these pieces for the I Love Animals exhibit that is currently on display at drawing room in Portland. Allison Baird curated the show (check her out in LINKS). I have this little toy wolf sitting on the windowsill of my studio - it was left behind in a FREE box by Nicole Duennebier (also in my LINKS) when she moved to Boston (thankyou, Nicole!) Anyhow, in the Native American system of birthsigns, I am a Wolf. I wanted to make some work about that, and about our basic instincts. While gathering collage materials for these two pieces, I found an interesting article in an old Art News about "The Hairy Man", a reviled character representing our animal nature and prevelant in medieval tapestries and such. In the article he is described as being "covered with hair and sunk in damnation." I just love that!
Isn't it ironic that our separation from nature and our hairy animal nature (our expulsion from the garden) has led to our damnation, the wreckage of our planet.

Covered with Hair and Sunk in Damnation, I (front and back views), 2008
Mixed media and collage stitched on felt, 12" x 12". For Sale.

Covered with Hair and Sunk in Damnation, II (front and back views), 2008
Mixed media collage stitched on felt, 12" x 12". For Sale.

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