des « bê-bêtes » nommées EPIPHYTES …. avec Hilary PFEIFER
« My artwork explores the ways that humans attempt to control nature, and in turn, nature finds a way to adapt or reassert itself–such as the grass that grows in the cracks of a sidewalk or mildew that forms on an uninsulated wall behind a couch. I express these struggles through craft-influenced sculpture and installations. My anthropomorphized organics live somewhere between humor and curiosity.
A physical object is often the foundation of my work. A floral-printed love seat led me to fantasize about that piece of furniture engaging in a dialogue with the artwork hung above it. A multi-piece “Vertical Garden” was inspired by and scaled to the dimensions of a sheet of composite plywood.
A recent installation, “Natural Selection,” involved a greenhouse filled with bonsai plants who were choosing their own mates as humans do–a blend of instinct and intellect. Another project was inspired by the wallpaper prints of William Morris. The vining leaves and flowers in my three dimensional version escaped the boundaries of the flat wall in places, or travel under the carpet to emerge in another part of the room.
In addition to nature, I also look to body parts, food, germ, or sex toy forms to evoke multiple sensations and references in the small details of my work. My sculptures typically use more than 80% found wood. Aside from the environmental benefits that come from using recycled materials, I feel the inclusion and alteration of found objects triggers the sensory memory in the viewer by creating simultaneously foreign yet familiar associations.
My craft background taught me to bring a complexity to my work through the visual satisfaction of a well-made object. Whether it’s a single functional walking stick for performance, or a large installation made up of 1500 one of a kind swarming bugs, I make sure that each piece can stand alone and also in context to other objects, humans, or architectural elements. »
Hilary Pfeifer - shoulder piece from 2011 series Epiphytes
Hilary Pfeifer - shoulder piece from 2011 series Epiphytes – detail
Hilary Pfeifer - A ring made for my 2011 Epiphytes series
Hilary Pfeifer - rings for my 2011 Epiphytes series
