Homes for the soul

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2-1-2008

Homes for the soul

James Hardy

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ROCHESTERINSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

A Thesis Submittedto the

Faculty

of

The Collegeof

Imaging

Arts andSciences

In

Candidacy

fortheDegreeof

MASTER OF FINE ARTS

Homes fortheSoul

By

James

Hardy

(Approval Page)

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As an artist I _{draw inspiration from my} current life experiences. The

narratives that I choose and the people who model are all

directly

linked to _{my life}

as it is

happening

now. _{Before entering} graduate school atthe Rochester Institute

of

Technology

some significant events occurred that had a

deep

impacton _my

spiritual life. I had lost a close friend and _my grandfather a few months apart and

the experience left me _emotionally paralyzed for over a year. A colleague at work

suggested that I could find comfort in _reading the Bible and at that point I was

readyto tryanything that might ease _my pain. Most of _{my knowledge} ofthe Bible

and the teachings of God were second hand. As a child I wastoo_young to read

and understand such a complicated book as the Bible. All I knew came from my

parent's example and the

Sunday

school classes which I would attend while_they

wentto church services. I started _reading the Bible for the firsttime and was

amazed how _contemporary and pertinent it was. Greed and

distrust,

_stealing and

lying, so _many ofthe iniquities spoken of in the Bible are still found in our

day

to

day

lives. Things of genuine importance such as human kindness and

love,

peace

and faith in God all _rang true and were reaffirmed in myown life experience. I

knew I had found mytrue God and began to see him atwork _{in my}

day-to-day

life.

a profound _{way, changing my} narratives to reflecta more _sociallyconscious and

spiritually based story.

Upon _entering graduate _{school, I} began to investigate Christian themed art,

mostly from Europe. I started to produce images of saints, creating dimensional

peaked roofs above the paintings. The idea forthese structures camefrom outdoor

shrinesfound in Europewhere there are shelters built to protect religiousstatues

from the weather. I began _{experimenting} with the creation of _spiritually based

work _reflecting the recent transformation that had occurred in _{my life.} I struggled

with _creating these _saints,

feeling

that I was somehow not pious enough to be

painting such images. I completed three paintings: one of Saint Mark, Saint Luke

and Saint John. I painted them with oil paint on fiber-board. I used the traditional

symbols of each _saint, for _example, Saint John is _{traditionally}shown with a staff and

an animal pelt. Toform the halos around their heads I carved into the fiber-board

and applied gold leaf. I tried to set these saints in moderntimes because I wanted

them to relateto a more _contemporaryaudience. After a _while, I feltthat saints

were an obvious choice of subject matterfor religious work and wished to _portray

God and _spirituality in a more _{contemporary light.}

At the end of _myfirst year at graduate _school, a colleague introduced meto

Retablos and home altars of Mexico and the Southwestern United States. I was

immediately

captured

by

the

honesty

and

beauty

ofthese Retablos. What

impressed me the most was the fact that_they were created

by

the innate talents of

everyday people.

Wealthy

_churches,

depicting

not _onlythe wealth and power of

I had seen _up until this point. The Retablos and altars created

by

Mexicans

impacted me more _{because something} of significant

beauty

was created outof

found materials. To methe use of marble, precious metal and other valuable

materials is an obvious solution when _trying to _{portray something} as sacred as God.

The fact that Retabloswere made

by

untrained artists out of found material shows

an earnest effort and _sincerity on the part of the artisan. It reminds me ofthe

parable in the Bible wherethe _{little money}given

by

a pauper was worth more to

Jesus than a large donation from a

dignitary

becausethe pauper gave all thatshe

had. In a_way, I feel that the Retablos and home altars of Mexico are more precious

to God forthe _very same reason.

Retablos gave me a new language to speakthrough in _my art. Inspired

by

the aesthetics of these _Retablos, I began to create shrines that were built to

resemble modern buildings. I created three-dimensional spaces in which I could set

up narratives _using painted panels and found objects. These shrines showthe

everydaysaint, regular _people, and the circumstances that _theyfind themselves in.

They

are narratives of hopethrough spirituality.

They

show human struggle yet

remind usthat God is always _{present, promising} and _providing hope if we _actively

search it out. The narratives reflect personal human struggles in which God

intervenes, much likethe stories portrayed in the Retablos created

by

the people of

Historical

Retablos and Home Altars ofMexico

and

Retablo paintings flourished in Mexico throughout mostof the 19th

century

and the tradition continues to this day. Retablos were small devotional paintings

usually painted onthin sheets of _iron, coated with tin. The images, painted

by

untrained _artists, were ofChristian saints or other images from the Bible. Often

people would paint Retablos fortheir own homes. The _popularity ofthe Retablo

came about fortwo major reasons. One was its relationshipto _manyAztec

traditions. Christians worshipped a multitude of saints, Aztecs worshipped various

deities. Much like the Christian practice of devotion _{to saints,} Aztecs would

associate with one of the deities over others and set_up altars for them in their

homes. (Lovell) The other main reason forthe _popularityof Retabloswasthe

separation of church and state that occurred

during

the 19th

century.

During

this

time Mexico was riddled with political _{turmoil, seeing} over 30 changes in

government. Dueto the

fragility

ofthe country, state

funding

of churches ceased

and people were encouraged to worship in the privacyof their own homes. Outof

People set _up altars upontables to contain Retablos as well as

flowers,

candles and

other objects to offer _up and

help

one directtheir devotion.

Retabloswere treated with much _{respect, however,} I think it is important to

point out that_theywere not intended to be worshipped themselves rather _they

were meant to

"

induce great spiritual qualities of

love,

_respect,

devotion, faith,

sacrifice and

humility

directed toward the person or_thing, that is, the model

they

represent."

(Lovell ₁₈₎

Images for Retablos were _mostly saints or storiesfrom the Bible. People gave

respect to _manyof Catholicism'straditional saints but people also created Retablos

for local saints as well. With the spread ofthe Catholic Church across Mexico _many

locals were ordained into sainthood forvarious acts of charity. This was done in

part to

help

integrate native Mexicans into the Christiantradition. The formation of

their own saints creates an

interesting

Christian sub-culture that is uniqueto

Mexico, one thatcelebrates its own traditions associated with the church.

One other point of interest _regarding Christian faith in Mexico is the

formation of pilgrimage sites. Much like the pilgrimage sites in Europeand the

Holy

Land, Mexico built churches and shrines in areas where miracles were said to have

occurred. One ofthe more popular is the site of the Virgin

Mary

of Guadalupe.

According

to _legend, the Virgin

Mary

appeared beforea man and instructed him to

build a church on the site to inspireothersto _{worship God. To} this

day

The Virgin

ofGuadalupe is one of the most popularpilgrimage sites in all of _{Mexico, attracting}

formation ofthese pilgrimage sites Retablos took on a new

identity

in the form of

ex-votos. These paintings were similarin size and _{medium, mostly} painted on tin

coated iron. Instead of

depicting

_saints, ex-votos were created to document a

miracle of God or an answered prayer. Also painted are people's vows and

promisesto God. These ex-votoswere created

by

people to leave at pilgrimage

sites in orderto declare acts of God orto make vows unto God. I feel that in _many

ways the narratives _{in my}work are

directly

related to the ex-voto. These art forms

contain narratives

documenting

the hopeoffered though faith in God.

The art ofthe Retablo in Mexico is a unique cultural phenomenon that

created a _very personal _{way in} which to_{worship God.} Each home contains its own

verydeliberate and

highly

personal altar in which the family's circumstances and

individual personal _relationship with God dictates the creation ofthe space in which

they pray. Ramon Gutierrez explainsthe _relationship between these sacred objects

(Retablos) and the space _theyoccupy

by

_stating,

"...when _{objects, space,} and time are so _conjoined, the

living

and the

dead,

the natural and _{the supernatural,} the human and thedivine are brought

into unison, thereby

demarcating

the sacred from the profane."

"Homes for the Soul" contains five elementsthat _{embody my}work, namely:

narratives, found objects,

housing,

lighting

and display. In _creating this

body

of

work, I have tried to conjoin these elements in a _waythat evokes the same

feeing

of

sacredness created

by

Retablos and home altars. The

housing

structure is the first

element builtwhen _{creating my}work. These structures are madefrom wood for

many reasons. For _one, I studied the art of_woodworking as a minor with the

School of American Crafts and I was immersed in the material. Wood is also the

primary material used to construct actual buildingsand wood is also a material used

to build frames and housings around _many retablos. _{Additionally, many} ofthe

home altars are placed upon wooden tables, sometimes draped with a cloth. I think

that wood is a _soft, warm and _easilyfound material that suits _my purposes well. I

used a _varietyof hard and softwoods, often scraps found in the wood _shop or from

friends. I used nails and wood glue for basicconstruction, _occasionally using a

screw where more support was needed. I roughly measured and rough cutthe

look with each dent ofthe hammeror split in thewood _adding more character and

history

to the piece. I

frantically

builtwith an automatic state of _{mind, cutting} and

fitting

pieces of wood together not

knowing

whatthe final outcome of the form

would be. After

finishing

_{construction, I} covered the housings with Milk _paint,

which is a combination of powdered _milk, lye and pigment. It is a paintthat has

been used

by

the Shakers fortheir homes and its origins can betraced all the _way

back to the Egyptians. What I enjoyed most aboutthe paint as a medium was its

abilityto add age and

history

to thewood. Aftersubsequent layers of _painting and

sanding what was leftwas a soft and subtle finish that revealed the natural grain of

the wood. Also exposed

by

the Milk paint were all _{the nicks,} dings and abuse taken

by

the wood

during

construction.

Many

woodworkers _trytheir best to hide all

imperfections but I believe that a lot ofthe power found in my forms liewithin

these imperfections.

By

highlighting

them it humbles the piece, it gives it a

"touched"

look. I havealways appreciated work in which you can seethe hand of

the artist; it gives it an

honesty

that more polished work does not always possess.

The actual forms ofthe housingswere _{mainly inspired}

by

the narrative of the

piece. For example,

"Family

Ties"

deals with

family

so theform I built is a box in the

shape of a residential home. I immersed myself in the _study ofarchitecture for

inspiration and ideas for construction; howeverthe formsdid not _necessarily reflect

this. I wanted the housingsto be generic, easily recognizable buildings such as a

home, a church and a school; therefore, there is no reference to _anyspecific

architectural style or specific building. The main function ofthese housings wasto

Ultimately,

the buildings not _onlycontained the ideas and actions ofthe narrative

but

they

became an overall symbol ofthe piece, forexample, the home represented

family

or the church or marriage.

The panels on the inside ofthe housings contain the narrative.

They

are oil

paint on _panel, as are most Retablos. The panels are also similar in paint application

and the characterization ofthe human figure. Each individual person and object is

painted on a separate panel and then cut out and arranged in the housing.

Many

ofthe panels are cut into

long

vertical rectangles with a peaked _top to echo the

shape of _many Retablos.

Cutting

outthese two-dimensional panels and _arranging

them in a three-dimensional space formsa new and

interesting

aesthetic. The _play

between the illusion ofthe two-dimensional painted objects and the _reality ofthe

three-dimensional space _{is something} that isquite _captivating to me.

Many

ofthe

panels are wrapped in metal, another reference to the Retablowhich _{is mainly}

framed or more often painted

directly

on metal. These metal surfaces add a

reflective element inside the piece that plays off ofthe lighting.

Mostof the housings contain _shelving or at least areas in which to place

found objects. Home altars of Mexico and the Southwest are filled with objects

from loved ones, objects that representa struggle in life or a source ofjoy. Each

object seems to contain its own

history

even the outsider who knows _nothing ofthe

significance of the object, can sensethat it hasa power of itsown. I _{really enjoy}

these objectsfortheir aesthetic qualities but I also lovethe idea of

having

these

objects

help

focus and concentrate prayerstowards a specific person or issue. I

interest both aestheticallyand conceptually. I chose objects that seemed to have

their own personal

history,

onesthat have "been aroundthe block" afew times.

These objects intermixed with the panels refers back to the altars visually, butthe

story orthe narrative overpowers _any

feeling

of_worship ordevotion ofthe actual

artwork. The

interesting

_thing is thatfor some people their_onlyattraction to _my art

is in the found objects. This does not bother me _however, because whatever

attracts the viewerto _my art

initially

(hopefully)

will captivate their attention

long

enough to appreciate other aspects of the piece.

The final elements thatare at the core of _my art are

lighting

and display.

For me this last and final stage is the most difficult.

My

first problem is how to light

small structures and be ableto hide all the light bulbs and wire. I researched fiber

optics and made multiple trips to Radio Shack

looking

for a system thatwould

work. Afriend suggested that I look into dollhouse

lighting

systems atthe local

hobby

store. It made perfect sense because in a _way the architectural structures I

create are _relativelythe same size as a dollhouse.

In pondering howto represent God in an abstract_way I returned to _my

spiritual roots in Christianity. Throughout the Bible, God is represented

by

light.

Not _{only does God} appear before man as light butthere are also _many analogies

made between light and darkness. Light is considered

Godly

and so

inversely

darkness represents evil. Scripture contains multiple references of

'coming

out of

the darkness and intothe light' (of God). For each piece I create a wooden halo (or

halos)that are situated above the ensuing scene. The structureof the halos is

separates solid blocks ofstained _{glass, my} halos are painted blocks of color divided

by

dark painted lines. Behind each halo is actual electrical

light;

I install this for

many reasons. Physical light is a symbol of _God, so I think it is importantto use

actual light as opposed to _trying to paint the illusion of

light;

the impact is more

powerful. Another reason for _using

lighting

_{in my}pieces isto

help

set a spiritual

mood.

Many

churches are

intentionally

lit to

help

concentrate and direct onesstate

of mind while worshiping. Often churchesare dark or

dimly

lit except forthe front

ofthe church wherethere _{is usually} a _spotlight, often

illuminating

a cross orthe

crucifixion ofJesus Christ. The focused light is used to quietthe mind and helps to

fixate one's sight and thoughts towards God. In _planning the

display

of _my own art

I felt that the well-lit, brightenvironment of a _gallerywas not

fitting

to thespiritual

tone I was _trying to create. For _my thesis show, "Homes forthe Soul," I set _up

walls to block out light and also to create an intimate space. The effect issimilar to

that found in churches. One's eye is drawn to the _light, where one is left to ponder

the work.

This idea of meditation induced

by

light relatesto the California Light and

Space Movement ofthe 1960's whose main concern revolved around the idea of

using light as a medium. The most prolific of its members is James _Turrell, an artist

who I am _{greatly interested in.} In his piecesthe viewer isasked to contemplate the

phenomenon of _light, this tangible yet intangible form. In _researching Turrell's

work, I found a hostof similarities with _mythesiswork _regarding the idea of light

being

used asa contemplative tool in orderto gain wisdom. Art historian Rudolf

"Light is one ofthe _revealing elements of life. To man, asto all diurnal

animals, it is the condition for mostactivities. It is the visual counterpart of

thatother _{animating power,} heat. It interprets to the eyes the _rejuvenating

life cycle ofthe hours and theseasons. It isthe mostspectacular experience

of thesenses, an apparition _{properlycelebrated,} worshipped, and implored

in early religious ceremonies. But as its powers overthe practice of

daily

living

become sufficiently

familiar,

it is threatened with

falling

into oblivion.

It remains forthe artist and the occasional poetical moods ofthe common

man to preserve the accessto the wisdom thatcan be gained from the

contemplation of light." (Adcock ₃₎

Incidentally, Turrell was raised

by

a Quaker mother and grandmother.

Many

historians makethe connection between Turrell'swork and his Quaker upbringing.

The center ofthe Quaker_community is the meetinghouse where all religious

ceremonies and other meetingstake place. Upon _entering the meetinghouse it is

said thatyou are to "greet the light." This idea stemmed from _entering the light of

God, a place for_worship and spiritual reflection. In

fact,

in 2000 Turrell designed

and created the Live Oak Friends

Meeting

House at a Quaker _community in

Houston, Texas. The meetinghouse has a retractable roofthat exposes a giant

square cut in the _ceiling to expose thesky. Similarto _my own _{work, the}

meetinghouse designed

by

Turrell uses light as a source of contemplation and

personal growth. An

interesting

connection exists between thedesigns ofJames

Turrell and _my own work and the influence religion has on us both. There isan

as a catalystfor meditation.

My

interest lies in the context ofTurrell's work,

particularlythe meetinghouse. What I _enjoy aboutit is that it is for everyman and

sets outto create an environmentwhere anyone can experience the benefits of

self-reflection in the lightof God.

My

hopesforthe use of _{light in my} own work shares

similar intentions to thatofTurrell and

hopefully

harnesses some ofthe spiritual and

reflective _quality of light.

For _mythesis show I wanted to create workthat deals with _spirituality in a

modern context. I used elements found in traditional spiritual _{art, specifically} Retablos and home altars; however, I did not want _copyor mirrortraditional styles.

I _{depicted how spirituality is} still important in our _lives, despite skepticism. I

communicated in an honest and sincere _waythat even in these moderntimes

where much ofthe world's mysteries have been explained away, that God is still

relevant and despite the actions of humans is still hereto offer his help.

Some people find it strange to _{be creating} work with religious undertones in

the context of the _contemporary art world. Artand religion parted ways after the

Renaissance and the Church who usedto be the mam patron ofthe arts gave_way

to the independent collector. I could see how one mightfind ittrivial to revisitsuch

an

"archaic"

art genre. The fact isthat _{many contemporary}artiststalk about

religion or have been influenced

by

theirspiritual upbringing. A showorganized in

2000 at the Aldrich Museum of

Contemporary

Art entitled "Faith: The Impactof

Judeo-Christian Religion on Art at the Millennium" highlights the prevalence of

religion and religious themes in the _contemporaryart world.

Harry

Philbrick offers

"As numerous conversationswith artists overthe last year _{revealed, there} are

many artists _making art about religion: artistswhose work is built upon the armatures of doubt implied

by

a fall from

faith,

and artists whose faith is

simplya given in their

lives,

_{quietly underlying} their art. When questioned

aboutthe _relationship oftheirwork to religious _{concerns, nearly}all ofthem

said that no one had asked them aboutthe religious component oftheir

work

before."

(Faith ₁₅₎

Two artists thatwere_{shown, that}most peopledidnot associate withreligion,were

AndyWarhol andRobert Mapplethorpe. Bothoftheseartistscome fromaCatholic

upbringing and_strongconnections canbemade betweentheirwork and the

imagery

oftheirchurch. For_Warhol,theobvious connectionwouldbe his rendition ofthe MadonnaortheLastSupper. Eleanor_Heartlysuggests thatWarholportraits such as

Marilyn Monroe andJackie

Kennedy

havethe same

feeling

of reverence ofreligious

icons andthathisportrayal oftheelectric chair canbeseen as a metaphorforthe

crucifixion ofChrist. Robert_{Mapplethorpe,}who is best known for hisphotographsof

homosexualacts, isanotheroddchoice fora show onfaithand_religion, butagain

Heartney offers somelightto theconnection. Like_Warhol,it istheformalqualities

ofMapplethorpe 's workthatreflectshis Catholicroots. The_centralizing ofthe figuresandthe dramaticuse oflightalsohearkens backtoreligious icon paintings.

(Faith) Someoftheworkincluded inthe show was more_recognizablyreligious

was tohighlightthat whileit maynotalways beapparent,religiousthemes and

influencehave not_{completely disappeared from}the modemartworld. Onecan

concludethat thereis stillrelevancefortheexplorationof religious themes and

aesthetics

by

artists.

Violence Hope

and

Vanity

2004

oil on panel

Violence, Hopeand _Vanityisthefirstpiece createdfor mythesisshow. Itisoil

on panel andin manywaysthis piecebecamea stepping-stonetowards_mycreationof

home altars. Thistriptychwas created_duringthe _springquarter of_{my first}year of

graduate school. Duringthis time Iwas_{experimenting} with_creatingaspiritual narrative.

Ilookedat EuropeanChristianart and altarpieces. Images from suchartists as

Caravaggio, Titian, Michelangelo, Hieronymus Boschand_{Grunewald littered my}studio.

I became fascinatedwiththe seriousnessthecontentof_spiritualitybroughtto these

artists'

thenarrative _{from Christiandoctrine}or_anyotherreligiousdoctrine forthatmatter. I

decidedto talkaboutbasic human issues andtheir_relationshipto spirituality.

Violence, Hope and

Vanity

is anattemptto dealwiththehuman issues of violence

andvanity.

Everyday

I see violenceonthe street, inourentertainment,even our mediais

violence driven scaring Americans into watchingtheirprogrambecause _theyhave

informationthatcould"savetheirlives". Ialso see evidence of_vanitywithin our

culture, not _{only in}theobsession with our physical appearancebutalsoin our_inabilityto

thinkoutside ofourselves. Inotice people_{everyday cutting} others_off, not_{holdingdoors,}

ignoring

people and_{making decisions}tobenefitthemwithout_{considering howthey}

affectothers. I createdthispiece as a visual prayer aboutthese twoissues. Iwantedit to

bepositive, thatis why between violence and_vanityIpaintedhope.

Violenceis depicted inthe leftpanel where thereis one character_beatingon

another. Behindthe figuresare_grotesques, a symbol usedin Christian artto symbolize

thedevil or evil. Aman whois fixatedonhisreflectiondepicts _Vanityinthe right panel.

Onceagainthereare grotesques _lurkinginthe shadowsto symbolize evil or wrongdoing.

Inthe middle ofthesetwoscenes is thecenterpanel,Hope. Afemale prayingover

Violenceand _Vanityis_kneelingbehindapew;behind herthere isahalooflightthat

beams outtowards the_accompanyingscenes. She is there toremindusthat thereis hope

inGod, who is depicted

by

this halo.

Stylistically Violence, Hope and_Vanityis a_{hybrid between my} old_paintingstyle

andtraditionalChristian altar painting. Iusedmultiple panels laminatedtogether to

create aground, muchlike myolder paintings. Shapes such asthe Gothicarch andthe

Mark Rothko using his familiar formatofthreerectangles stacked on_top of each other. I

successfully intertwinedtraditional spiritual_paintingwith modern spiritual painting. The

end resultisamodernversionofthe traditionalChristianEuropean altar. Theshapes and

the triptychformatechotraditional altarsbutthecleanlines and geometric shapes give

Ghetto Messiah

2004

hardwood, milk_paint, foundobjects, and oil on panel paintings

Ghetto Messiah was created

during

the summer between myfirst and

second year of graduate school. This piece was yet another stepping-stone to _my

currentthree-dimensional work. It bridgesthe _{gap between my painting} and

sculpture

by

_placing panels in a boxassemblage. It was

during

this time that I

started

looking

at home altars and retablos; its influence is seen in my inclusion of

found objects arranged throughout the piece. When _thinking about the housings

fortraditional altars more often than not _theyare a simple box construction with a

peaked roof to

keep

outthe elements. Instead of _using this basic house

construction, I thought itwould be

interesting

to incorporate modern architectural

shapes, creating a more _contemporaryfeel. I builtthe

housing

for Ghetto Messiah in the shape of a _cityskyline to tie in with the theme of urban struggle. Above the

panels I built shelves on which to arrange found objects. This wasthe firsttime that

my construction stood as a symbol forthe narrative.

Ghetto Messiah is a narrative about urban struggle. In the foreground there

is a wooden silhouette of a _cityskyline painted in rusty decay. From behind the

cityscape rise hands from different races all outstretched towards the light. These

hands symbolize

peoples'

struggle to rise abovethe adversities of urban life. The

handsare painted in subdued _{colors, mostly blue} tones exceptwherethere is the

halo of light. Within the halo the hands are painted in their natural _colors, bathed

in light. The halo comes from the hands of a modern

day

Christfigure. He is

neither black nor white nor Arab nor_Asian, hetranscends race. He is

dressed,

as a

simple carpenterwould dress in workjeans and a tank top. Across-shaped halo

painted scene is about urban struggle and the _abilityto rise above one's

circumstances with the

help

of God. Abovethis scene I arranged found objects on

the shelving. I selected objects that had an urban feel and seemed to have their

own personal history.

They

are mementos, objects that _may have belonged to one

of these people _reaching out towardsthe Messiah.

They

add a different reality to

Family

Ties

2004

hardwood, milk_paint, found objects, oil onpanelpaintings andelectric light

app.

Family

Tieswas built in the fall quarter of _my second year of graduate school.

Thiswas _{myfirst completely}three-dimensional piece. This piece dealswith

spirituality in

day-to-day family

life. In _thinking about how to _portraythis concept, I

decided to depict a

family

in prayeraround thedinnertable. In _manyfamilies the

one time that _they gathertogether and givethanks to God is atdinner. The

family

is seated around an oversized table that recedes _up and backwardstowardsthe

wall, as if in a two-dimensional _{illusion. The positioning} and perspective of the

table shape is meantto ridethe line between the three -dimensional _realityof the

house and the two dimensional illusion of panels. The table is

intentionally

larger in

scale than the people. This is done to highlightthe idea of a

family bringing

their

problems "to the table,"

giving the table more significance

by

increasing

its size.

On the table is a banquetof

food,

the main dish

being

fish a symbol for Christ

Jesus. Inscribed on the table are words such as

finances,

health and other words

symbolizing issues thatfamilies pray about, further strengthening the idea of the

bringing

of issues to "thetable"

before God. As in all of _{my pieces, God} is

represented

by

a halo. The halo isseen in the eaves ofthe roof _{cascading back into}

space. Electric light streams from the halo not _onlyto _physically represent God but

also to illuminate the scene below.

The structure of

Family

Ties is modeled after _{my idea} of a generic residential

home. It has all the elements I associate with a

"typical"

suburban

home;

a simple

peaked roof, white picketfence and a cellardoor. The cellar door is functional to

add more interest to the piece. To the right ofthe

dining

room is a

dimly

lit back

the ones found in Ghetto Messiah. The objects include old photographs to

represent

family

_past, an old doll to represent thechild and an old angel decoration

holding

a "Gloria" banner to represent a type of

family

heirloom. The stand was

crafted _using a reclaimed timberfrom an old barn. I feltthat the colorand

roughness ofform married well with the faded milk paint of the house. I wanted

the stand to compliment and blend in with the piece ratherthan _creating a

Holy Matrimony

2004

hardwood, milk_{paint, copper,foundobjects,} oil on panel paintings and electrical lights

Holy

Matrimony

was made as a _wedding presentforJennifer and Damion

Silver,

both artists _residing in Philadelphia. To me, marriage is not _{onlyproclaiming} yourcommitment to love in front of friends and

family

but more

importantly

before

God. For it is to God that we make our most solemn vows. While _myfriends did

not get married in a _church, or

by

a man of_{the cloth,} I decided to usethe church as a universal symbol for marriage. The shape ofthe church is constructed after _my

memories of old New England style Congregational churches. In New _England,

manytowns had a simple white church with a tall steeple seen from miles around.

The steps ofthe church _{sweep up} to the pewsthat are set at dramatic inclines

towards the back of the church. Abovethe pew is a halothat is

directly

belowthe

steeple. Electric lightshines from behind the halo and also surrounds the couple in

the room below. The stand I built mirrors the shape of the towerson either side of

the staircase. The darker mahogany wood creates a separation between the church and the stand, while the fabric

hanging

below not_only symbolizesthe

"tying

ofthe

knot"

but also leads the eye _upfrom thefoot ofthe sculpture.

The interiorof

Holy Matrimony

is simple. Jenniferand Damion are placed in

the center of_{the church,} right atthe moment before theirfirst kiss as husband and

wife. I wanted this moment to be the focusof_{the piece, their} passage intothe

unity of marriage. Behind the bride and groom in the back room is a triptych

depicting

the _lake, which _they stood in frontof

during

their ceremony. These

panels as well as the painting ofJen and Damion are wrapped in copper not _only to

framethem but also to reflect the electric light. I also used copper accents at the

as a _patina,

bringing

out natural blues and greensthat are also seeninthepaintings. In

theend, allthe elements convergedintoa cohesivewhole, celebratingthesacrament of

Unchain

My

Heart

2005

hardwood, milk_{paint, steel,}foundobjects, oil on panel_painting and electrical light

app.

I started Unchain

My

Heart

during

the winter quarter of2004. It is a

self-portrait about _myown personal struggles. The _only painted panel is of _me,

kneeling

in prayersurrounded

by

rusted chains. I am locked behind

bars,

butthere is

help

_{shining from} above. This piece is aboutthose emotional chains that hold

you

down;

_{human depression and guiltfear and anger. These are issues that I deal}

with and spend a lot oftime _praying about. The structure is a replica ofthe front of an abandoned mental hospital. I thought it

fitting

because sometimes _my emotions

areso _overwhelming that I feel I could

literally

go insane. I am locked downstairs

butthere is electric light _{cascading down} over me. Above _mypainted portrait there is a wooden halo litfrom behind and a

key

_{dangling, symbolizing freedom.} The

halo and

lighting

represent God and illustrate his presence

during

prayer. On either side ofthe jail are shelves forobjects. Inside are placed a_jailbird, beer cans to symbolize _vices, a file for freedom and a bible to represent hope. This piece _{is my}

first to be built as a wall hanging. I wanted tocreate some _{variety between my}

After School

Education

2005

hardwood,milk_{paint, copper,}foundobjects, oil on panel paintings and electric lighting

app.

I started_{After School Education in winter quarter 2004. I wanted to} create a

piece of substantial sizeto act as a focal point in myshow. _{Additionally,} I wanted to

deal with a _{contemporarysocial issue in a}

waythat did not preach. There is no

question thatwe live in a "television"culture and this thoughtscares me. Children

whose minds are still _{absorbing information spend hours}

watching violence and

perversion on TVwithout the _abilitytoseparate real life from life portrayed

by

television networks. This piece presentstelevision as an educator of children and

the ill affects this _may have if not _properly monitored.

On thefirst floor of the school is an _empty classroom. Objects such as apples

and blocksare placed in the classroom to add another layer to the piece and also tie

it in with found objects seen in _my other works. At the head ofthe class is a

wooden lectern with a television _{rising from} behind it; the television is

literally

portrayed as the teacher. The _{only light} in the room comes from theTV screen

creating a dark and

disturbing

setting; enhancing the

feeling

of powerthe screen

gives off. Above the classroom are three individual rooms. The room to the left isa

high school boy's bedroom containing a couch, a _television, a computer and a

stereo. On the TV screen is a picture of a _rap artist and in the back of the room the

boy

stands with his pockets turned inside out. The theme is thatthe idea of wealth

portrayed

by

Rap

is _appealing to youth who spend _moneythey don't have on

material objects. The room on the right is a high school girl's bedroom furnished

with a _{couch, television} and a wall mirror. On the TVscreen is a Thighmaster

commercial and in the background a girl is

looking

at herself in the mirror. The idea

effects youth. In the center room are three women in prayer. The one on the right

is standing praying overthe

boy,

the one on the left _{is standing} praying overthe girl

and the one in the middle is

kneeling

in prayer

looking directly

atthe viewer. The woman in the middle is intended to confronttheviewers

forcing

them to look at

themselves. Behind all three women is a wooden halo that allows electric light to

shine through the center. The idea ofthe center room is a visual prayer overthe

effects Television is

having

on our_{youth; offering hope} to this powerful influence

My

thesisworkhasrevolved around_{architecture, light,} socialthemesandGod. I see endless possibilitiesforthecombination oftheseelements andbelievethat Iwill work in

thisveinforquite sometime. Isee architecture as a windowintothe humanexperience. Rundown decrepitbuildings show the_povertyand

decay

ofthemeek. Churches

symbolizehopeandthepowerof_{God in human life. Store buildings}show consumption. Thetypes and conditions ofbuildings ina_communityreflectits inhabitants. Rich

communitieshave beautiful homes andwellkeptstreets. Farmcommunitieshave

buildingsthatreflect generationsoffamilies workingthelandtosurvive. What kindsof

stores, whatreligious_buildings, whattypeofentertainment_halls, all these things reflect

upontheinterestsand

history

ofthe individualcommunity. I am_{constantly brought back}

to the_saying"ifthesewalls could

talk."

Themarks and wearleftonbuildingsspeaksto

thepeople thatare nolongerthere. Thepatinathatbuildingsgain with age is due inpart

toits use

by

humans and eachlittlescuffanddent left_bysomeone engrainsthemintothe

building

forever.

My

goalis tohavethepaintedpanelscontainthenarrative andtohave

the_buildingthathouses itaidin_tellingthatstory.

The element oflight in mywork came from_mydesire torepresentGod in a more

moderncontext. God isrepresented

by

light in myculture and paintershave workedfor

generationstobeableto createthe illusionandthe_beautyoflight. _Bytakingadvantage of modern_{electricity I}am ableto representGod moreliterally. WhatIfind

interesting

is that

by

_usingreallighttheideathatit isa symbol ofGodis lost ontheviewer. Weare

usedto_{seeing heavenly}lightcascadingfromthe skyontotheweteyes ofthosewho gaze upon it. _Byshiningelectricallightonto a painted figuretheviewerdoesnotmake the

same_relationshipbecause it is alanguagethatI havecome_up withon_myown. Thisis

one of_mynextgoals, tousethe lightina_waythatit becomesa more recognizable symbol for God.

My

lastgoal istoperfectthe_lighting anddocumentationof_mywork. It isa

delicate situationin a_gallery spacetobalancethe lightthatcomes fromwithinthework

withthe_{gallery lights}thatilluminateit'soutside. I wantthe shadows anddetailsofthe housingsto bewell _lit, howeverIdonot wanttoloosethe

luminosity

thatoccurs within thepiece. The internal lights alsohavecauseda problem withdocumentation. Photos I

electrical _{light glowing from}within. This is somethingthat Ifeelwilltakesome time to

resolve,andformethis amajorpart inthe

joy

and satisfaction of_makingart. Itisthe

Bibliography

Adcock, Craig. (1990). James Turrell: The Art_ofLightandSpace. _Berkeley, CA:

University

ofCalifornia Press.

Berryman, Charles. (1979). From Wilderness to Wasteland: The Trial_ofthePuritan

God in theAmerican Imagination. Port _Washington, NY: Kennika Press.

Blair, Lindsay. (1998). Joseph _{Cornell's Vision of Spiritual Order. London,} UK:

Reaktion Books LTD.

Faith: The Impact_ofJudeo-Christian Religion onArtattheMillennium(exhibition).

(2000). Ridgefield, CT: The Aldrich Museumof

Contemporary

Art.

Fraser,Gloria. (1974). Mexican Folk_Retablos;Masterpieceson Tin. _Tucson, AZ:

University

ofNew Mexico Press.

Hartigan,Lynda. (2003). Joseph Cornell: Shadowplay-Etemity. London, UK: Thames andHudson.

Kandinsky, Wassily. (1977). _Concerning the SpiritualinArt. New_York, NY: Dover Publications.

Lovell, Charles,Elizabeth Zarur. (2001). ArtandFaith in Mexico: The