elements

Inspired by a collection of ancient Buddhist sculptures included in Robert Wilson’s 2018 Minneapolis Institute of Art exhibition, Power and Beauty in China’s Last Dynasty, I began a series of papier maché sculptures interpreting the four elements, air, earth, fire, and water. For years I wanted to create something featuring the elements and was long interested in the nature of papier maché. I found manipulating the material deeply satisfying and by tearing pieces of tissue paper brushed with glue I explored surface decoration and textures in a more painterly way. After years of placing individual objects together in assemblage, freely working with color, shape and texture was stimulating and amplified my practice. Consistent with my preference to work with whatever is at hand, the armatures are 64 oz. plastic jars and other throwaways covered with layers of recycled tissue and packaging papers and glue. The original concept of four heads worked well for the first two pieces, AirHead and FireMan. Built simultaneously over the period of a year, I learned a lot about the medium, refining my process as the sculptures evolved. My plan for an Elizabethan water goddess did not go as well, so I turned the armature horizontally and the shape of WaterWomen emerged, sending the project in new directions. For earth, the addition of organic materials seemed natural, and Beartha's torso came into being. The series was developed between 2019 and 2022.