Teacher Name: Shaquita Reed
Grade: 12
Materials: Photography
Dimensions: 16” × 20”
Description: What else is an object other than an item passed hand by hand?
What else is this turn that I have to care for it, use it, and keep it?
Keep the story that weighs many more grams.
The sweat, the footprints, and the pieces of the earth that form them.
Thread, silver, straw, cloth, gold.
Moments with my grandmother.
Stories of my great-grandmother.
Memories of a father, and memories of those who take his place.
What else are these objects for you?
If, when I see them, I see all the faces, moments, and materials that they carry.
What else is this photograph of my objects to you?
Artist Statement: Recently I’ve been focusing on sculpture and have developed a concentration exploring human relationships with objects. I specifically demonstrate the way memories and emotions contaminate the perception of objects. Throughout my sculptures I use a lot of found objects and textiles which mainly come from my home, or the thrift store. An important aspect of my artwork is the possession and context behind the materials I use in my sculptures, so I take a lot of consideration in the kind of materials I use. For example, I sometimes use the texture I find in certain yarns, or fabrics to describe feelings, or even characteristics of a person. I am aiming to also incorporate lights and sounds, and photography to my sculpture, as well as including poetry or writing when displaying some of the pieces. In addition, my 2D and digital work tends to also focus on memories, but also current events and issues that are significant to me. I was recently in a documentary photography program at a Latinx-led grassroots organization based in Chicago’s Gage Park neighborhood. We focused on representing the South Side neighborhoods of Chicago in a different lens than how they’re normally represented in the media. I specifically focused on personal items, emphasizing the weight we hold in the items we own, the moments and stories that they represent in attempts of humanizing our communities that are often overshadowed by violence and crime. I enjoy making art that is personal to me and personalizing my artwork through different details that are specific to me, both my 2D work and 3D work express myself and my perspective. Overall, through my work I hope to expand other’s perspectives of everyday objects, and the people around them as well as show others who I am.
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