Author: walke27m@mtholyoke.edu

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Five Works and Five Perspectives

  • A close up of the back of the book Bound in the Five Perspectives collection. The book Support is in the background. The collection is comprised of 5 books: Bound, Passion, Broken, Support, and Devotion. 2020.
  • The front cover of the book, Bound. 3 x 5 inches. Cardstock, handmade cotton paper, black, gold, and red ink, hemp thread. 2020.

Relationships are a constant in our lives, whether through family, friends, significant others, and beyond. Many of us also have multiple types of relationships at any given time. The artworks: Bound, Passion, Broken, Support, and Devotion, make up a collection of artists books called Five Perspectives. Each explore a single type of relationship through poetry, words, and symbolism.

  • The full set of all five books in the Five Perspectives collection. The collection is comprised of 5 books: Bound, Passion, Broken, Support, and Devotion. 2020.
  • The back cover of the book, Passion. 3 x 5 inches. Cardstock, handmade cotton paper, black, gold, and red ink, hemp thread. 2020.

Read more about this work here.

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Reflecting Back, Propelling Forward

A detail photograph of the fishing line used in the work, 2019.

The artwork, Standing Under, reflects on my process as an artist creating work. It looks at my process of questioning the world, pulls from the past with my desire to involve the audience, and is propelling me into my future projects with a better understanding of my own work and intentions.

An image with both the art and it label next to it, 2019.

It has helped me pare down to the heart of my work. Read more about the work here.

A person attempting to walk through the artwork, 2019.

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Delving into Identity

The closed cover of Deeper, 2019.

This most recent artwork, Deeper, explores a personal and very recent new found understanding of myself, the artist. As a maze book it tells my experience without words, merely elements following elements.

The hole and broken threads of a corner page, 2019.

Read here for more about this work.

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Collective Ground Exhibition with A.P.E. @ 33 Hawley

Some recent artwork, Alignment and Built to Grow, will be installed in a collaborative show at 33 Hawley Street, Northampton in the gallery space run by A.P.E. This show, Collective Ground, is an exhibition of works by students in the Senior and Advanced Studio Arts program at Mount Holyoke College.

A still of the video, 2019.

From the Facebook Event:

Featuring artworks from artists Levi Taylor Booker, Lily Cook, Lauren Ferrara, Abigail Hill, Katie Kelso, Xiangwei Kong, Camila Le, Ricki Lovett, Abby Li, Cora Melcher, Kiwi Song, Samiha Tasnim, Deborah Uller, and Megan Walker, this exhibition brings together fourteen unique visions. These artists employ a vast range of mediums, from installation to photography, painting to performance, in order to explore who they are as makers. The diversity of approach amongst these artists reflect the deeply difficult and polarizing world that form the larger context for this exhibition. However, viewed together, these works begin to forge connections between issues of identity, vulnerability, and ultimately survival.

Collective Ground is at 33 Hawley St., Northampton.
The show is up from November 2nd through November 19th.
Building hours are 12-6, Tuesday – Friday and by appointment.

A full view of the sculpture, including the specialized lighting, 2019.

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A Self Reflection upon the Hubris of Individuals

This confusing work, as some have describe it is just that, confusing. The stop motion animation, Individual Focus (video link here) attempts to look at the larger idea of being self centered. And while it is true that all of us, to a certain extent, have left enough of this trait behind in our childhood to view the world, we still have a some of that characteristic as adults.

The start of the video narrative.

The video uses polymer clay to represent individuals and the wire and branches as the foundation upon which we build connections. It follows the path of one such “individual” along a story-like path, encountering (or losing) others, forming connections, and broadening their world. There are many emotions expressed throughout. Such as loss when some of the encountered others vanish or move to the side and seem to melt. Or fear as the individual moves to see more of the world, and the background begins to tear apart.

An earlier moment in the production.

Read a more comprehensive discussion of this work, here, on the specific page dedicated to Individual Focus.

Nearing the end…