These pieces project the Wunderkammern tradition on modern urban culture. City dwellers are increasingly separated from the natural world that exists around them. By presenting assemblages of commonly encountered (and overlooked) items in a manner that evokes curiosity and wonder, I hope to rekindle the viewer’s connection with nature. Meticulous sorting of the cabinets’ contents and their clinical presentation suggest more broadly that science can be employed to provide insight into day-to-day encounters with our surroundings.
To orient you to this art form, I've written a brief introduction about Wunderkammern on my blog, Hope for Pandora.
Wood, Glue, Assorted Rodent Parts; 2007
For an interactive key to each of these items, visit my Flickr site or click on each image above.
This piece is composed entirely of rodent parts. The bones were extracted from owl pellets, while the soft tissue were collected from animals euthanized for other purposes. Soft tissues were fixed and embedded with paraffin. They are sorted by structure and arranged to inspire curiosity, but to also draw the eye to the heart in the center of the display. When the viewer is finished interacting with the piece, he may close the box, just as I finishing my PhD will soon close a chapter of animal experimentation in my life. The piece's name describes the morning my wife and I discovered an owl pellet on our Seattle apartment's balcony. It was our first Thanksgiving together.
Wood, Glass, Northwest Native Berries; 2007
"Seattle Colors" is a reflection of some of the social and political tendencies found in Seattle's human residents. The berries were collected all within Seattle's municipal boundaries, and often were located an arm's length from bus shelters I frequent. Berries are from left to right: hawthorn, mountain ash, snowberry, red alder, oregon grape and salal.
The piece will not retain its color unless the perishable material is periodically replenished. Periodic interaction with the piece reminds me that peace and tolerance are not static sentiments. Two common uses of rainbow symbolism and the motivation for this assemblage are the Pride and Pace (peace) flags. A third use of the rainbow flag, by the co-operative movement also finds friends in Seattle.
Wood, Glass, Found Natural Specimens; 2007
“8005 Sand Point Way NE” is an interactive piece. Every natural item in this box was collected in the artist’s apartment, on its grounds, or very nearby. The items are arranged in accordance with a tradition of wonder cabinets: shelf position follows the 18th Century conception of hierarchical classification. Each item on the left column relates to air; items on the right are tied to the ground. Every slide is numbered and labeled. Viewers are encouraged to inspect items closely and return them to the proper shelf.
My wife and I took a one day glass fusing class the summer of 2007. I was in the process of writing my dissertation, so science was all I had on my mind... at least for the first few pieces I made. Here are three that relate to my research.
Fused Glass; 2007
The base pairings are important. Can you find the fatal flaw?
Fused Glass; 2007
The blastocyst is the biological structure that forms about 5 days after fertilization. Embryonic stem cells are derived from the little clump of cells that forms on the inside of the hollow ball. Hang it on the Christmas tree to celebrate life, birth and healing.
Fused Glass; 2007
The red line is the left anterior descending coronary artery - it's a common one that gets blocked to cause a heart attack. The blue line is a cardiac vein. The first piece I made, this tile's primitive representation of anatomy contrasts with thehearts vital importance to life.
Here are a couple of landscape art pieces from my honeymoon. September 2005.
Balandra Mangrove
Balandra Heart
All this inspired by a secluded Baja beach.
Want to go back? Push down the lever, watch the wires get hot...
...and get toast!
