The Aesthetic of the Ritual
Dark Benediction, 2010
There is an inherent biological structure guiding humankind’s existence. (For the most part,) We sleep at night, work during the day, consume our sustenance in three intervals throughout that day in order to fuel our physical exertions. This is a ritual encoded deep within our DNA. It is the Ritual of Human Existence. That which we strive to maintain and which we embellish to enjoy. In and of itself, ritual does not imply a religious structure, but it can certainly be sacred.
As an artist, my studio practice is sacred to me. It is something I look forward to engaging with, and something which I need to maintain for my own well being, even when the project hits a frustrating period that needs to be worked through. The studio practice is like eating or breathing. It is a necessity buried within my DNA. The objects I share with the outside world become aesthetic representations of the ritual which created them. Infused with a patina, an invocation, a symbol of its own mythology. I’m very pleased to be sharing my practice with four other artists who approach ritual in their own ways in Ritual Aesthetics, organized by Progress Report for Tompkins Projects. Stop by and behold.
