Jess Self
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    • Knowing Together With An Other New
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      • Bloundous, Iceland >
        • Invisible
      • Austmarka, Norway
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      • Two Sides To Every Story
      • Knowing Together With An Other

Knowing Together With An Other


Picture

Mother/Martyr

2021
Wax, Mixed Textiles, Metal
70x36x50 inches

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Picture

Wholeness

2021
Brazed Steel, Mixed Textiles
50x24x24 inches



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Picture

Withness

2021
Journaled Letters to Men 2001-2020, Wax, Metal, Mixed Textiles, Wool
60x64x36 inches

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Picture

Enervated Foilness of
Daphne

2021
Saw Dust, Lavender
32x32x43 inches

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Picture

Sheepish

2023
Resin, Charcoal, Sindoor, Cowrie Shells, Feathers, Kina, Jute, Barley, Jobs Tears, Juniper
28x24x17 inches


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Picture

Twoness

2021
Wax, Metal, Mixed Textiles, Alabaster Stone
54x24x24 inches

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All people change as we develop. They embody a variety of roles at different stages of life. Carl Jung refers to these roles as Archetypes. Folklore, mythology, and Chakra Systems explore and illustrate Archetypes making them easily relatable. In Knowing Together With an Other, I represent some of the Archetypes I have embodied during my own life. My sculptures depict stereotyped versions of femininity: the seductress, the lover, the mother, and the martyr, they are influenced by Western visual culture, folklore and personal experience. To create the figures, I combine a life cast of my body with different materials such as foam, wool, wax, wood and textiles, each material embedding a different aura in its assigned figure. Doll and puppet joints allow the figures to assume a variety of poses and to show a sense of control. These figures encourage personal reflection on our phases of life and personal growth.
 
The work for Knowing Together With An Other represents my spiritual and artistic growth; it is also a culmination of knowledge acquired during my graduate studies. In these pieces, I experimented with several new materials, demonstrating a new level of skill confidence and ambition I didn’t have before entering the program. I am no longer satisfied in my needle-felting niche; I trust that I can employ a wide variety of contemporary craft methods to express my ideas in way that embraces both craft and fine art.
The ties between my personal story and references to folklore, mythology and western visual culture peeks out just enough for viewers to connect with, they recognize a pose or character, and it streamlines them to a familiarity or memory that bonds them with the work. Viewers are curious and engaged because of what they feel when they look at the work, emotions sometimes overpower concept. Using the archetypes as starting points gives me endless subject matter and inspiration that will sustain me throughout my career. Creating seven figures was a very daunting task, but I was determined to meet my goal. All of the long hours and small details were worth it. I am so proud of how this body of work turned out.


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  • Portfolio
  • Projects
    • Selah
    • Knowing Together With An Other New
    • More Upstairs
    • Flint and Tender
    • Residency Experimentation >
      • Bloundous, Iceland >
        • Invisible
      • Austmarka, Norway
  • About
    • Contact
    • Instagram
    • Statement
    • Bio
    • CV
    • Installations >
      • Two Sides To Every Story
      • Knowing Together With An Other