Accretion Tables, 2001-2003 page 1 go to page 2
Dimensions: 32 x 80 x 80 in. ,  Mixed media: hundreds of natural and some industrial materials, wood tables
 

Photo:Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery, Sarnia

In this piece my concentration is primarily on minutiae- that which is often overlooked or unnoticed - and so must be collected in greater numbers to have impact. This activity is what connects me to the natural world as it is an opportunity to observe at close hand the objects' formation, growing cycle, and eventual deterioration. Museums, I suspect, keep their collections in boxes or drawers for study, categorization and labeling. the open boxes used in Accretion Tables reflect on museum practice but without the scientific analysis. When collected and presented in an ordered way there is a feeling of wonder and curiosity but also a sense of repetition and timelessness. All the materials gave gone through their prime of life and now remain as relics of past glories. Repetition is found throughout the natural world and I continue to be fascinated with the slight variations we observe in close examination of these reoccurring forms. But rather than seeing it as duplication, for me, these nuances are reaffirming and can suggest a metaphor for the celebration of life.

  Detail Photo: John Freeman
     
  Detail Photo: John Freeman
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