Tangible Objects / Concrete Shadows

Ancestral Vessels (detail)

Ancestral Vessels

This is one of the pieces that will be in the "Process + Materials" Show at Hedge Gallery on West 78th Street in Cleveland this Friday.  The reception is from 5-9:00 and should be a good showing of artwork by
15 different artists.

"Ancestral Vessels" are silk organza vessels with transfers of vintage photos of people, some of whom are my actual ancestors and others who are 'faux' ancestors, meaning I found the photos at a flea market
or antique store.
I like the concept of capturing personal history on a tangible object like a box or vessel.  It makes the idea of memory more concrete.  The light weight vessels are positioned on a clear acrylic shelf.  In order to stabilize the vessels I added some small stones inside and around the objects.  The thing that surprised me about this work when it was installed is the way the shadows made such an impact, adding a dimension to the work that, for me, further references the idea of history and memory.  This is another way in which the artwork speaks to me, doing its own thing and making the work relevant in unexpected ways.

I've thought about doing some artwork with those shadows, but I don't think anything I can do would do them justice.