The Unit of Meaning
Throughout her life, both in Taiwan and California, Inez has always lived in areas close to water bodies; therefore, animals and fish have always attracted her as a subject by experimenting with the realistic style in clay, wood and metal. She became aware of the vital need to protect marine life from her many visits to aquariums and her scuba diving experiences. Impressed by the exotic colors, patterns and shapes of marine life, her two year passion for the intricate project had begun.
Oceanic Elements
A Periodic Table of Marine Fish
|
This art piece is a cabinet with each drawer's panel marked with a fish sculpture and periodic chart symbol and number. Some of the drawers are deliberately placed upside dow with a blue surface to symbolize the ocean. In order to highlight the effects of pollution, she spilled oil inside some drawers. As a contrasting statement, the same drawer if flipped over, will also show the fish turned belly-side up; a metaphor used to allude to the death of the fish.
Similarly, the library index cabinet as an art form is symbolic. Fish, which are important elements of the ecosystem can become fossils, just like the old index cabinet in the library, if they are not conserved. Inez has assembled the symbols and images into a realistic visual form that has given life to her conservation consciousness. Material : Black Walnut, cedar and stoneware tiles Year : 2000 |