ARIEL BOWMAN
GRADUATE STUDENT, CERAMICS
Passé Doré
Ceramic, flocking, gold leaf, wax
30’’h x 24’’w x 18’’d
2017
I make sculptures of prehistoric animals that represent the wonder to be found in natural history. I am intrigued by animals that evolved with distinct features, such as unfamiliar tusks, strange elongated limbs, and unusual proportions. I use clay to bring these extinct creatures back to life. The picturesque aesthetic of the eighteenth century refers to a time when our relationship to nature was being expanded by scientific discoveries, yet separated by the disappearance of wild places. This sculpture speaks to the importance of biodiversity for the survival of species throughout millions of years, and compares this to the brevity of human history.
