Emergence I

My work consists of many layers of meaning and symbolism woven or bound together. My process and the mediums I use are laborious, symbolic of the laborious process of self-actualization. Every stage of emerging from the chrysalis reflects back into self and pushes me towards a genuine life path. My exploration of the unconscious psyche reveal themes relating to feminine identity, social conditioning, and relationship with self. My interest lies in the multiplicity of our beings, particularly the contradictory aspects of the psyche. What is conscious and what is unconscious coexist and shape our lives through different narratives. The body is an excellent resource as the narratives we carry are carried in our bodies, and it speaks through movement and feeling. For example, a sculpture who seem to embody confidence but is wrapped in tight bands could represent power and submission, symbolising a woman who is unaware of her power. Conditioned by her culture or family of origin she lives a submissive life, but she is in conflict with herself. She is bound by unconscious beliefs. With my most recent work, Emergence, I explore the theory of Animus. A term coined by psychologist Carl Jung to explain the male energy in a woman's being. According to Jung, a woman who is experiencing a conflict between who she was conditioned to be, and who she truly is should reach out to her inner Animus for support. This internal energy inspires bravery as she takes up space in the world. Every sculpture begins with an original in clay, from which I make a mould and cast a hard copy in a composite medium. I then use sheets of lead that I cut into strips and either weave or bind. Emergence is no longer so tightly bound. She has taken a stand against the internal bounds that were holding her hostage in order to live a more authentic life.