Cage, Tulsa Artists' Coalition, Tulsa, Oklahoma, January 6-28. 2012
The cage references in my recent work come from a synthesis of house, figure, and grid. When I crush the structures, they transform their identity into a cocoon and nest. In the summer of 2010, I had an opportunity to work on my art at a residency in Saratoga, New York, for one month. During my stay, I started emailing letters and images to my daughter and son to stay close. I sensed a deep sadness inside of me, realizing I had not been able to do the same thing with my parents. I was a traveler, a settler, and a mother but not a daughter for a long time. I ran into the woods and shouted out loud, “Mama...papa!” using my native voice to hear the sounds calling out to my parents.
The cages are birdless, doorless, and bottomless. As the process evolved, I began to see the cages refer to houses on hills, the ribbed structures with nets used to fight malaria in Africa. My cages remain small and lightweight, almost like ghostly images swirling their way out of human attachment.
The cages are birdless, doorless, and bottomless. As the process evolved, I began to see the cages refer to houses on hills, the ribbed structures with nets used to fight malaria in Africa. My cages remain small and lightweight, almost like ghostly images swirling their way out of human attachment.
*Monika Umba’s Bluebird animation based on Charles Bukowski’s poem is so beautifully done, I can sense it in my cages...