Helen Altman
March 10th, 2009 by Heather Tompkins
These Skulls were crafted by Helen Altman and are currently on display at the DCKT Contemporary gallery in NY as part of her solo show, Greetings From Home:
DCKT Contemporary presents HELEN ALTMAN’s solo exhibition of mixed media works. ALTMAN explores notions of reality versus artificiality in everyday life. Her interest in mimicry and replicas results in objects that are convincing and sincere while simultaneously absurd in their obvious artificiality. Lotus Bed consists of lotus leaf skulls on top of a chenille bedspread with cocoons sewn on. The skulls resemble something an insect would make and the cocoons mimic wasp eggs sometimes laid on living caterpillars that serve as the host for the growing wasp larvae. Here, the bedspread itself (“chenille” translates from French as “caterpillar”) serves as host. The bed becomes a victim and the stand-in for the absent sleeper.
Also on display are skulls made of various natural materials like rice, bamboo, beans, etc. To check out more of her work, visit the gallery website.
[thanks to Aman for telling me about his exhibition!]
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Helen Altman’s work is deep and rich and full! I first experienced and admired it in her 1997 exhibition in Beaumont, Texas. She so lifts the mundane! Her ideas express themselves unexpectedly and enigmatically. I am fascinated as I was, once, when I heard the sweet, strong, clear notes of a bird announcing a dawning spring day, snow still in patches on the ground, and searched, almost fruitlessly, until I, finally, saw the singer – a tiny gray titmouse! These works delight me in just such curiosity and mystery and awakening and discovery.