From The Fire
8/14/17
A few weeks ago I was sitting at a fire at my fiancé's house listening to music and hanging out with family and friends. I was looking at the pallets burning in the pit and I noticed one piece of wood that was splitting in the heat of the fire, falling onto the ashes below. The pattern in which it lied reminded me of vertebrae on a human spine. I have always been interested in the human figure and I have drawn the figure and the skeletal system multiple times in the past.
I began thinking that this idea could be something I could run with in my work. I could make a 3d spine out of wood, burnt wood, foam, resign, charcoal, graphite, and so much more. Wood burning is something I have done in previous works (Record Year I), but thinking back to the exhibition installation I was a part of for Mr. David Ardito in 2015, this new work could take on burning in a new light, similar to Ardito's Burnt Wood "Idols" series. (http://www.daveardito.com/misc-sculptures/)
The human spine represents stability and strength. In the womb, the spinal axis is one of the first portions of the body to be developed and the rest of the body begins to develop around the spine throughout pregnancy. Without the spine, life cannot exist. The spine protects the spinal cord in the body. The function of the spinal cord is to send signals to the major organs of the body, including the lungs, heart, brain, and more.
As one of the four foundational elements, fire is an essential element to life as well. With fire, comes burning. Burning is not always a negative thing as most people might perceive it to be. Based on Greek Philosophy, fire has a direct connection with the soul. Burning, therefore, is a symbol of life, strength, and rebirth, just as the spine is also connected to stability and life.
This idea sparked from a fire and some radio tunes late one night. I am constantly pulling inspiration from the world around me. I think most of my ideas for work spark from this same type of feeling and moments of lived experience, observation, and chance. I do want to explore this idea further as it connects to music's influence in my work as well.
