During last weeks tutorial my tutor picked up on the fact that the object of fascination – the figurine – had been denied to me fully as a child due to my clumsiness. I could look but not touch I was told – and pretty much obeyed orders but did have to stroke it! The thing about the figurine is that it is so touchable – it is crafted in such a way that it perfectly typifies the beautiful softness and contours of a child’s body.
I thought on – the denial; of being prohibited – this is really strong for me and echos through my pre-occupation with the loss of childhood – as an adult; and the loss of a child – my cousin- as I explained last time.
This has culminated in a three dimensional outcome. I have taken some pot figurines which I have studied in the past and that once belonged to my parents-in-law and re-appropriated them using photocopies of ‘my’ figurine.(I’m not sure if this is ‘re-appropriation’ or simply ‘appropriation’?).
This expresses very much my desire to summon up the past – to bring to light that which has been buried in my sub-conscious – and which I am sure is universally experienced. The results are interesting – the figurine is distorted as if forced through some kind of time warp.
