I’m utilizing this work category differently than the rest of the website, mainly in that though it represents selected “finished” work of 2012 and 2013, I am also posting work in progress or work that is beyond me at the moment. This could be viewed as a more public journal of my working process.

This newer work, while following the last few years investigation, is more spare and frontal, a return to an object rather than a dispersed phenomenon. I’ve been musing on the concept of totems and talsimans, not in the literal sense, but more as an object or subject of undefined “Other/other”, defying catagorization, yet holding reference to an abject body or bizarre symbol.

I am also contemplating the in-between of subject and object, as a literal space and metaphoric relationship.
Subject- being under authority or control; disposed, prone; a word or phrase that denotes the doer of action; the essential nature or substance of something distinguished from it’s attributes.
Object- the purpose or goal of a specific action; something perceptible to the senses; a focus of attention.

I find the fluidity and ambiguity of both to be wonderfully complex and beautiful.

11/3/2012: most recent works such as Kon Tiki, Maladroit’s Sister, Watch Tower, and Gandaki are exciting to me in their less concluded states, utilizing patterning to set up space and expectation. My hope is this expectation is then subverted.

12/2013: In addition to playing with illusionistic painting to inject a different painting language, I am enjoying being suspended in process, to then be bound by structure. Interplay and conflict.

Jenny Hager

Jenny Hager