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hello-magpie — Tenderhook

Published: 2012-04-02 21:52:58 +0000 UTC; Views: 1352; Favourites: 22; Downloads: 5
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Description The fourth piece in my graduate thesis body of work---an inquiry into the concept of psychological space, and the ways artists can represent psychological spaces using the visual language of physical place.

From my artist statement:
"Each piece is an externalization of a psychological space I have occupied. Through a combination of personal symbolism and established iconography, as well as more intuitive and uncontrolled methods of working, I attempted to translate my thoughts, memories and emotions into physical environments. I found this process both challenging and transformative. When reality is so often defined as what exists or occurs physically in space, creating physical representations of psychological experiences is a way to make them feel more real, to affirm and express their importance. Seeing these spaces outside myself was also like looking at a map after having wandered through a strange place for a long time---I recognize these spaces and view them differently, newly able to see the connections between them."

Mixed media, approximately 10" square.
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Comments: 6

Leahlemur [2012-05-14 04:41:19 +0000 UTC]

Are the lines on the inside of the box supposed to be tally marks?

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hello-magpie In reply to Leahlemur [2012-05-14 04:59:32 +0000 UTC]

They're meant to resemble text without actually being readable. From a certain distance away they look a lot more like print.

I don't mind if folks read them as tally marks, though.

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Leahlemur In reply to hello-magpie [2012-05-14 05:10:57 +0000 UTC]

That makes sense. Either way works. Tally marks are something of a personal symbol of anxiety/tension to me and that kind of fits with my general emotional reading of this piece. Is the fleshy bit supposed to symbolize something directly?

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hello-magpie In reply to Leahlemur [2012-05-14 16:17:23 +0000 UTC]

I'd say it's meant to evoke a physical feeling rather than visually resemble anything in particular. The whole piece is referencing a specific situation/process of mine, but there's nothing here that would make the personal stuff accessible to a viewer---I'm more interested in getting the general feeling across and having other people read their own stories into it. Which it sounds like you do, so I'm happy!

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Leahlemur In reply to hello-magpie [2012-05-14 23:57:49 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, it definitely is a powerful, visceral piece.

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bluedolby [2012-04-04 02:05:33 +0000 UTC]

This is excruciating. Which, I imagine, is what it's supposed to be...

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