new project, “52”

I’ve been thinking about this piece for about a year now, I still don’t have a solid title.  The original title was “52”, but I  knew that was just a working title.  The installation consists of fifty two carved figures each in a transparent acrylic box.  The figures are 9.5”/5”/2.25”, they will fit in the boxes snugly.  When installed the boxes will lay on the floor in rows of four.

I roughed out each figure on the band saw and now have begun carving the details.  Each figure is identical with one exception, each will have a different facial expression and none will have eyes.  I’ve ordered the acrylic for the boxes and will construct them soon.  With the price of the acrylic and the wood I figure this project will cost me about $800 to $1000 dollars to produce, I love it.

This work is inspired by the Haida repatriation project and an interview I saw on T.V.  The Haida’s repatriated the remains of our ancestors from museums from around the world  and brought them back home to be buried.  In the interview I saw, a Haida woman was speaking of her experience of hearing voices in the halls where the Haida remains were being held.  I will talk more about this project as it unfolds