The Walker; for how to honor the price of compassion-- how not to die of lies

Images(12)

The Walker; for how to honor the price of compassion-- how not to die of lies

Object NameSculpture

Artist vanessa german (American, b. 1976)

Studio WheatonArts

Made FromGlass, Plaster, Fabric, Yarn, Deer Cowrie Shell, Wood, Metal, Electric Cords (see description for full materials list)

Date2017

TechniqueBlown, assembled

SizeOverall H: 244 cm, W: 114 cm, D: 99 cm

Accession Number2020.4.2

Credit LineSupported by The Ennion Acquisition Fund

Curatorial Area(s)

Postwar and Contemporary

Exhibitions

Emanation 2017: An Invitational Contemporary Art Exhibition

Place Made

United States, NJ, Millville

Physical DescriptionSculpture, "The Walker; for how to honor the price of compassion-- how not to die of lies". Found wood from the back lot of Wheaton(everything is useful), paint, tar, hair grease, plaster, tears, wood glue, cowrie shells, love the shape of hamburgers in an airstream trailer, more tears, npr on the radio, cloth, an old tattered silk quilt--still falling apart as we speak, old doll parts, beads; all of the glass components hand blown with precision, passion, and great care by Skitch & Madeline, love, rage, sorrow & 8 six hours drives across Pennsylvania, twine, steel rebar, bottles from the Wheaton barn, farm scale, skateboard, buttons, keys, wire, found rusty stuff, the pain of being greeted by ____ people like I am the pick-up-dog-feces- service person, beauty, shame & shamelessness, gold paint, 20 pounds of varied sized glitters, plywood, wood spools from the Wheaton grounds, laughter, wonder at the profound beauty of the night sky, grief, old lard tin, found wooden tool carrier, heat, meanness, cast blue birds, dreams, uncertainty, buttocks basket, 2 hand mirrors-- for to see yourself in here, love, 2 clocks, pepper grinder, saw horse, cast anatomical models of the human heart, silk screened tears in red, on canvas, canvas, the temptation to hate you for the things that you do not understand, fear, the sound of Peter Gabriel singing, “in your eyes”, wonder & Grace & the way that making art is a power & a healing.

The sculpture consists of a life size female figure balancing mid-stride atop a worn-wood sawhorse on wheels. The figure comprises of a plaster head whose mouth is made of a deer cowrie shell; the head is adorned with a glass headdress from which a glass hand emerges. The figure has plaster hands and feet, blown glass arms, legs, and neck; the bones of the sculpture are visible through transparent glass arms. From a fabric bodice decorated with glass beads, the skirt billows with glass and fabric wrapped "prayer bead" pods, inside of which are glass bottles and other items; strands of yarn are wrapped around components of skirt, bodice, and joints. Wrapped around the neck and feet are strands of glass seed and pony beads. An electric cord is plugged into an outlet that is secured to one side of the sawhorse, and two 2-gang toggle switches are secured to the front of the sawhorse. All electric cords run through the interior of the sawhorse and exit through a hole drilled on the side of the sawhorse opposite of the outlet; all cords have been cut.
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