inventory
Artist Statement:
March First 2014, my 12 year old daughter and I left for Iceland by plane by bus by smaller plane by car over treacherous mountain pass (see video). We made our way to Seydisfjordur, a tiny village on the Eastern Fjords. - population 668. Here is HEIMA, an artist residency and collective.
HEIMA is Icelandic for Home. And it felt like that. It felt light and safe and free, like maybe sometimes we forget how to feel. Or I do anyway.
It snowed for five days at a time. Several times. The mountain pass was usually closed. Due to inclement weather. There was no in or out of Seydisjordur. Most of the time. But no one complains. Here we were alone together, strangers together, foreigners together, explorers together.
I left with the challenge of making 300 works on paper, intent on studying my daughter mostly. This did not happen as often as I planned. She was too bored with me, and the landscape was more demanding of attention than I had anticipated. The mountains are so close and imposing, sort of intimidating even, but quietly so, like sleeping giants.
Here we can study in silence and solitude, such rare things. And honestly, not always comfortable, but definitely valuable. Making a practice of diligence, a practice of production, was important to me. I struggle with making myself do the work, in all ways, but here there was really nothing else to do. From waking til sleeping- diligence, production. Taking and making inventory. Repetition and discipline. And inventory.
In the end I came home with 476 works on paper. This is everything, and when we show everything, not everything is pretty. Some of it is stupid and some of it is ugly, but it is mine and it is here. This is my inventory.
Thank you for looking, Jocelyn
works on paper
