Effigies, launched

And - YES- it took a village!

Sue Getchell and I have worked very closely and yet very independently on our distinct yet interrelated formulations leading to a series of three sculptures (so far), inspired by the Paracas Female Effigy (see previous post). We also owe thanks to Janet and Celeste.

Thank you, Celeste, for guiding our research about the Paracas Effigy and helping us discover significant anthropological narratives regarding its civilization of origin. The sociocultural and artistic values of this piece are deeply interconnected: symbols of snakes depicted on the body take on meanings of power, light and darkness, present and future. Through discovery, our project of creating effigies evolved into imagining these people in their roles, shaded by today's understandings: a shamanka, a noblewoman, and a shaman.

Thank you, Janet, for nourishing my spirit and for taking on the task of identifying the style of the braids on the Paracas Effigy and weaving them carefully into these intricate contributions to the Female Effigy: Shamanka.


And here she is:

And here are the two collaborative pieces. Meet Female Effigy: Noble Woman and the Male Effigy: Shaman respectively.

Read below to shed some light on the meaning of this series in our artist statement.

Imagine an effigy as your only portal to understanding a long-gone people - their ways of living, beliefs &  values.
The Female Effigy Jar (MFA Boston, Ancient Americas) that inspired the series of effigies created by Liliana Glenn & Susan Getchell, lampwork glass & fiber artists respectively, is attributed to Paracas (Peru), 200-1 B.C.
The Paracas Effigy is known to depict the burial style in which the body was wrapped in many layers of intricate, ornate, & finely woven textiles. Its most prominent features include (1) the opening of the jar which signifies the mouth of the depicted individual and (2) snakes symbolizing power and  life after death.
After much research, Glenn & Getchell interpreted and executed a series of effigy sculptures re-imagining ways of living in a society, the roles individuals took on as its members. Looking back informs the artists’ own understanding of modern life;  land & time are only superficial barriers to valuing artistic expression.

We are very excited to have had the opportunity to work together and are looking forward to continuing our work in this series.
The chance to apply to a publication provided a great impetus for the values we both hold dear i.e. always learning about the world: past and present, ourselves and each other, the media we seek expression in and the connections to many communities in which our identities are always evolving and thriving...

... as are yours.
Stay in touch!