Presente
"Presente"
This installation–a painting accompanied by 99 stones was first shown with Gwenda Jay Gallery in Chicago in 1989.
The bottom part of the painting references Giotto's "Lamentation", but here the one being mourned is absent. In the painting on the top a woman holds a lamb (alluding to the parable of the lost sheep) and a photograph of a young man (perhaps her son). Early in my career critics assumed my reference to christian narrative meant my work was intended as some sort of evangelical tool. Hardly. My intent was to allude to these stories as a way of repositioning current socio-political issues for a culture (including the religious and myself) that seems to have little interest beyond self indulgence.
In the '80s there were stories of gatherings in Central America of women whose sons and husbands had "disappeared" (most likely killed by militias). The men's names would be read and the women, holding a photo of their loved one would respond "Presente!" While preparing this project my sister Amy Grubbs Moore did research on people who had been "disappeared" in such situations. The names of 99 of these people and the dates of their disappearance were written on the stones.
I'm really not sure of the efficacy of this kind of work, but I continue to be interested in art that moves us towards justice, love and engagement.
Presente
"Presente"
This installation–a painting accompanied by 99 stones was first shown with Gwenda Jay Gallery in Chicago in 1989.
The bottom part of the painting references Giotto's "Lamentation", but here the one being mourned is absent. In the painting on the top a woman holds a lamb (alluding to the parable of the lost sheep) and a photograph of a young man (perhaps her son). Early in my career critics assumed my reference to christian narrative meant my work was intended as some sort of evangelical tool. Hardly. My intent was to allude to these stories as a way of repositioning current socio-political issues for a culture (including the religious and myself) that seems to have little interest beyond self indulgence.
In the '80s there were stories of gatherings in Central America of women whose sons and husbands had "disappeared" (most likely killed by militias). The men's names would be read and the women, holding a photo of their loved one would respond "Presente!" While preparing this project my sister Amy Grubbs Moore did research on people who had been "disappeared" in such situations. The names of 99 of these people and the dates of their disappearance were written on the stones.
I'm really not sure of the efficacy of this kind of work, but I continue to be interested in art that moves us towards justice, love and engagement.