SUBCONSCIOUS INVESTIGATIONS by Jackie Fischer

My work is an investigation into my subconscious in hopes of capturing the fluidity I find myself submerged in. From a young age, I've been attracted to spherical, drippy, bulbous and organic forms. What this means exactly I'm unsure of, but will continue to explore this.

 

I'm captivated by the physical qualities existing within ceramic materials, it's malleability and the immediacy the material provides. Metal casting in many ways is quite similar to ceramics. Whether that from the tremendous possibilities obtainable through different processes, the uncertainty, or the vast amount of labor involved within each material. Within both materials each step presents a multitude of questions loaded with new insight, ideas and direction.

  

Working with Morgan Donohue, Visiting Moldmaker from Polich Tallix Foundry

 

My work changes and adapts due to a range in my emotional, spiritual and mental state at the time of construction. I remain open to the unexpected possibilities each material presents throughout the development of the work. Throughout the physical and chemical changes each material withholds I'm constantly provided with new information perpetually leading me to push the limitations of the materials.

  

'Identification'

Environment and interpersonal relationships help form this idea of identity. Identity is not a solid stable concept. Our perception of our world changes through new stimuli were exposed to daily. We’re constantly learning, growing and adapting. Whether we are fully conscious of these changes is another story. Although there are times I’ve stumbled upon new information which was enlightening and have felt somehow different than ever before. Despite the fact that Identity is a rather fluid and ever changing concept we somehow define ourselves within it. Perception is a huge part of it. How we perceive ourselves. How others perceive us. How we think others perceive us can be rather different. Our exterior appearance often gets used to identify. As does the experiences we share with those who we have relations with. In conversations between people often we’ll use descriptive language to describe a third party. In that language we find ourselves describing what would generally make that person stand out helping to identify that person, whether that be previous actions or encounters, hair, clothing style, glasses, eye color, accessories , etc. In the past two and a half years I’ve been identified in conversations as the girl with dreadlocks.

 

Personally I identified myself with them. They were a part of me I carried around for a substantial amount of time. Each one has a story behind it, process, creation, decoration and progress. Some made intentionally and others formed themselves over time. Alike many relationships I have.  All of the beads, bolts, trinkets and feathers were gifts from different encounters I’ve had among my travels across the states. Some made from friends while others gifted from strangers. A majority of the locks were snipped by those who I’ve shared or had impactful / life altering experiences with. Each lock is loaded with the experiences I’ve identified with for so long and now the experiences I’ve had with those who I identify with.

All work by Jackie Fischer in the Fall 2016 

Junior Foundry: National Casting Center Foundry @ Alfred