Imagine about walking into a bright red room, think ripe cherries, about 20 by 12 feet in size, and placed in the room are three pieces of art. Two of them are on pedestals which are the same red as the room, the third piece is mounted on the wall.
The first pedestal is placed to your left about six feet into the room, on this pedestal is an cracked white earthenware dish. Two feet forward and to your right is the other pedestal, on this one is a wicked looking object of some kind that looks as though its covered in lightning. On the back wall of the room is a black and white photograph of a half nude woman, who seems to challenge you with every step you take towards her.
Brush washer, 18th century, glazed earthenware, unknown artist.
Cracked earthenware that is both beautiful and broken, soft womanly curves that speak challenge, and a sharp object which your not really what it is.
When I see these three pieces of artwork together I almost combine all three of them to create one idea. I start out with the earthenware dish because it creates the foundation for my idea, or the beginnings of content in this installation. Think about it as representing society as we know it, what could the cracks possibly mean?
Now move on to the sharp object that turns out to be a scepter, its not only wicked looking but it is something that is normally associated with rulers or someone of power. Try putting this together with the cracked dish representing society, this scepter that could mean power over people. Are you starting to see it? There is something bigger being shown here, then just several random objects.
Axe Scepter, Jade, 1766 B.C. - 1122 B.C. Shang dynasty.
Lets go over to the final piece of art, the challenging picture of a half nude woman entitled ‘Dotty’. Ask yourself the question, who is she? Could she be a generalization of the everyday woman, and if she is, what is the meaning for her being topless? Looking back at the two previous works of art, how do you think she fits into this installation. OK, so lets break it down. The earthenware is the cracks in todays society, and the axe scepter is power of todays rulers, and ‘Dotty’. Well, ‘Dotty’ is todays woman, who is stripped of her rights even though she is free to do whatever she wants. Still not quite there yet? Let me put it all together then.
‘Dotty’ is the woman we all want to be, strong and challenging, she has been stripped of her rights by the powers that be (the axe scepter). But she is still fighting, staring you in the eye, not ashamed by her nakedness. She is saying, no matter how you strip me I will fight and brake my way through, I will brake apart society to get my rights back (the earthenware dish). And she will keep on fighting no matter what,
through tears and bloodshed. Now look around you, stare at the walls, what do you see?
