set in summer years, balaena is a gentle inquiry into wayward forms of body movement that maintain an inward sense of stability.
i found articulations of these movements in letters written by my granda from his days of seeing the world on whaling ships. reading his letters felt intrusive, but i persisted because the sounds of his conviction were familial, and i wanted the spirit of his movements to help reconcile and encourage my own.
reshaped in clay and suspended from the ceiling, the words in balaena play together and alone.
balaena
please excuse pencil and vile scribbling
no more monotony
they sure do love to rush you if you let them
no cracks sister
the heat is terrific
a moving life with me
and you never forget where you are
outlier
three deaths down, nine hundred and ninety-seven to go
i’ve got whale teeth in my throat
don’t get to comfortable
dossier
one
exhibited on august 3, 2017 at the little sister gallery for one night only, with special thanks to lynn fisher.
contact for purchase inquiries.