How Gober’s work affects how I see my work

I thought about how a lack of human presence of the chairs in the reflection relate to the prints and my work in general. They don’t have people in them, even though they have references to body parts and other abject qualities. Robert Gober references various body parts like legs coming out of gallery walls, but also brings in metaphorical symbols in referencing sexuality, religion and politics like making sculptures of sinks and doors that have been misshaped. I’ve also noticed the studio space i’ve chosen is next to a sink, so that works in my favour.

According to the book, The Body in Contemporary Art, Gober’s prime motivation isn’t autobiography, even though his work of the disembodied leg is from the artist’s memories of his mother recounting stories of amputation in the operational theatre where she worked.

I don’t think creating autobiographic content is my main intention too. I just use it as a source for my ideas, and I’m using my presence to collect information to use for artworks, such as the places I’ve been to.

There’s an aspect in Gober’s work that is universal like grief and loss, and I think that’s something I want to focus on because the collective experience is more important than an individual experience.

Holes Research

I was researching holes, specifically drains and plug holes because Mona suggested to look at things that are uncanny in the tutorial.

I started taking photos of sockets and plug holes in sinks in my house, workplace and the School of Art to collect visual research in order to embellish them in drawings.