Despite yet being able to visit the Linde
Ivimey exhibition ‘If Pain Persists’ at the UQ Art Museum, I’ve have been
enjoying watching interviews with the artist and reading articles about her
work. What I find really interesting about her current body of work is her use
of bone as a medium for her sculptures.
Firstly it’s a very original choice
that stems away from the normality of clay, cardboard, brass or the like. But
more significantly, I think that the use of bone has very spiritual and
religious connotations. We are all aware of the significance of bone in the
Adam and Eve story, when God creates Eve by carving her out of one of Adams
ribs. And the use of bone is also highly significant in the practice of
witchcraft. Bone essentially forms and upholds the human figure and therefore
is important in many spritual and religious traditions throughout the world. To
see it used strikingly in Linde’s sculpture creates a very powerful message.
Linde Ivimey - Thumper (Self portrait) 2009, Private Collection, Melbourne
Reproduced courtesey of the artist
During one of the documentaries on Linde
Ivimey she mentioned the use of rabbit imagery in her sculptures as being a
connection to her childhood. She also referenced her recent trip to the
Antarctic as inspiration for her current works. What I find fascinating is that
while Linde’s works are very spiritual and ever religious in some aspects, she
takes a very personal spin when creating these images. For me, it just goes to
show that you don’t need commodified, popular culture, cliché symbolism of
religion and spirituality in order for an audience to understand these
messages. An intimate, personal experience is far more meaningful and original.
I hope to make it into the Art Museum soon to look at these works first hand!
Linde Ivimey, Set In Bone, Youtube video, 2012
Linde Ivimey, Leave No Bone Unturned, Youtube video, 2012
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