GRANDFATHER (From the Series Threshold)
Sculpture: Weathered and charred reclaimed poplar
83" x 39" x 39"
2014
Threshold is a series made up of autonomous sculptural works that investigate the containers of becoming – the spaces through which bodies ritualistically pass. Grandfather, the first piece of the series, takes its influence from Domovoy, a spirit who lives in the doorways of every Russian household and protects the family over which it presides. Because Domovoy’s home is in the doorway, it is considered disrespectful to do anything other than cross swiftly through this space. The refusal to, for example, shake hands, kiss, or pass possessions through this threshold, thus constitutes a daily ritual. It has been theorized that the etymology of this spirit is the personification of an ancient Slavic custom of burying the ashes of the deceased patriarch beneath the entrance to the house.
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