A Measure

“A Measure: Animal With Shroud” 2020, 192″h x 62″L x 30″w, Installed at Creative Pinellas Gallery, Rolled and rusted steel, cast iron animal, rusted chain, old pillow, silk organza
“A Measure”
Early Greek philosophers, Aristotle prime among them, used the word “measure” in different ways, such as the distinct nature of a thing, a measure being that thing that is predictable. The truly moral person, for example, is a ‘measure’ because such a person shows us our shortcomings, according to one interpretation.
In the series I term “A Measure,” my objects are that nature of a thing against which we measure ourselves, and our treatment of all things living. They illustrate a revelation gained from artist Sue Coe who is famously known for drawings from inside pig factories in a talk I attended years ago. There, an audience member posed the question:
“How can you place an animal above a human being?”
The reply was her “measure.”
“If humans treated all animals, defenseless as they are, with humanity, think of how well we would treat each other.”
That, in essence, is the nature of my objects.
Rolled rusted steel, cast iron animal, rusted chain, old pillow, silk organza.
Rolled rusted steel, cast iron animal, rusted chain, old pillow, silk organza.
“A Measure: Animal No.1” 2013 (left) Cast wax (paraffin, beeswax, carnuba) animal, old stained pillow, rusted chain, old nail, old lintel.
Rolled rusted steel, cast iron animal, rusted chain, old pillow, silk organza.
Rolled rusted steel, cast iron animal, rusted chain, old pillow, silk organza.
Rolled rusted steel, cast iron animal, rusted chain, old pillow, silk organza.
Cast wax (paraffin, beeswax, carnuba) dry pigment powder, silver graphite powder, old stained pillow with encaustic, old rusted chain, old square nail, old lintel.
Cast wax (paraffin, beeswax, carnuba) dry pigment powder, silver graphite powder, old stained pillow with encaustic, old rusted chain, old square nail, old lintel.
Cast wax (paraffin, beeswax, carnuba) dry pigment powder, silver graphite powder, old stained pillow with encaustic, old rusted chain, old square nail, old lintel.