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Statement
Kathleen Campbell
In this work, I am trying to touch on our society's simultaneous embrace and rejection of non-rational phenomena. We live in a world threatened with extinction by the underlying irrationality of the human species, yet we cling to a vision of ourselves as scientific rationalists and to the myth that we can comprehend and control both ourselves and the forces of nature.
Several years ago, I had an idea to photograph "angels." I liked this precisely because it is impossible -- yet everyone knows what an angel is, or what we think it is. The series has evolved to include beings which are not "angels" and which have other messages. These might, for instance, explore the kinds of things we worship or indulge in at the expense of each other and the planet or attempt to expose the biases that lie behind our cultural assumptions. The titles are important to the meaning of each piece.
Although the work is ironic in nature and even humorous, my intent is serious. In attempting to create an illusion of another, more spiritual, reality, I try to suggest the void in which our contemporary lack of belief leaves us. For this reason, I try to insert an element of darkness. This might be as obvious as a snake, as subtle as an expression or the shape of a flower. Also, each of these pieces is failed, unable to transcend its materiality. I paint or construct the backdrop or use ordinary objects -- bubble wrap, tape, coins, sheets, dime-store novelties or everyday clothing -- in a context that implies the spiritual tradition in Western art. I want the viewer to be aware of this contradictory juxtaposition, to see the artificiality of the image -- and yet still possibly be moved by it.
Baudelaire once said, "We walk through a forest of symbols." By using such symbols, I hope to touch on the conflicts between the reality of our everyday lives and the universal longing for transcendence. Heaven is always just outside our reach. We are grounded in a disappointing materialism, forever hoping each illusion will lead us to some spiritual truth.
Essays/Reviews
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