Repurposed Herds
These pieces are ‘decorative’ antiques that I have collaged and painted directly onto, re-contextualizing the pieces and giving them a new story. Each piece of antique wood has existing branding or imaging that I’ve used as a jumping-off point for adding a herd – the slab from an apple barrel has bees, the two ‘Forcite perforated shells’ box-ends have army figures, the girl who looks like Bo-Peep has sheep, etc.
The herds in the foreground impact (or are impacted by) the yield of the subject in the background. Success or failure depends on the herd, herd instinct, and herd mentality. They are groups of things that you can try to control or influence, and there could be consequences if not ‘herded’ – chaos could ensue. The yield is dependent on the herd.
The title of each work is the collective noun of the herd (fascinating in their own right).
By re-contextualizing these items, I’m constructing tangible objects with an altered history. Refractions of reality. But using appropriated objects and images brings up concerns of authenticity and authorship. With collaged art, who is the author? Does painting the collage change the materiality, and make the decorative yield to art?
