Statement

I often use ambiguous biomorphic and architectural elements to introduce a human presence without literal representation, while suggesting various fears, temptations, anxieties, and turmoil embedded in the human psyche. For example, in “Specimen,” an anatomical form — highly anomalous though not completely unfamiliar — appears as the reluctant object of scrutiny, evaluation, and intrusion. Such imagery is meant to provoke questions rather than merely provide answers, thus inviting the emotional involvement of the viewer. The small scale of the work helps ensure that this involvement takes place within the viewer's personal space, making each willing individual a participant in the psychological setting I've created.

I've long reacted against the contemporary tendency to assume that work of any substantial significance must be executed at an equally substantial size. Bigger and Better are not always synonymous. At less than four square inches, “Specimen” does not broadcast itself throughout the gallery. Instead, it demands that a spectator actively choose to approach and view it, and that the experience be “one-on-one.”

© 2006 Russ Revock