Lineage Series Installation

2008-06-18T20:03:00.001-07:00

The Linda

2008-06-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

The Dolores

2008-06-18T19:58:00.000-07:00

The Sherry

2008-06-18T19:56:00.000-07:00

The Joana

2008-06-18T19:55:00.000-07:00

The Pat

2008-06-18T19:52:00.000-07:00

The Kena B

2008-06-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

The Kena A

2008-06-18T19:49:00.000-07:00

The Ester

2008-06-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

The Donna

2008-06-18T19:47:00.000-07:00

The Zenaida

2008-06-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

The Carmella

2008-06-18T19:43:00.000-07:00

Lineage Installation

2008-06-18T19:35:00.000-07:00

Artist Statement

2008-06-18T19:22:00.000-07:00

Lineage Series
Presently I have embarking on a large installation dealing with skin prosthetics. While an art student I held two distinct occupations, one as a surgical instrument technician at a hospital where I was fascinated by and had the opportunity to observe procedures, especially plastic surgery. The other, a commission sales position for a major department store where I observed the power of marketing and shallowness of consumption in the quest for promised beauty. Adding to this, my father was diagnosed with a progressively disfiguring and terminal skin disease. Over the years of his illness, I was able to see the reaction to the changes in his appearance by the general public and his resilience in overcoming predetermined judgments. I consider the work a strange form of portraiture. This series questions what is inherently authentic about humanity and does authenticity evoke beauty in contrast to the popular desire to alter ones physical appearance as seen in current trends of reality television. I am fascinated by the overwhelming desire we have as a society to change our bodies to become less authentic, to resemble what society defines as beautiful rather than acknowledging the aesthetics of what is a visual record of a life. In essence, to change our visual family tree. The prosthetics are a visual documentation of life experiences which are clearly represented through scares, gnarled hands, sagging breasts, wrinkled sun exposed skin or well traveled feet. From these “skin” castings I am producing “wearable vicariousness” of extraordinary women throughout North America that examines their history, abilities, occupations and lifestyles. Each item is tattooed on the inside, with name, number (D.O.B) and specifics regarding the original “wearer” all of which will hang on a series of metal laundry lines like worn clothing.

This is Susan Krause