Loren Naji
Sculpture

ARTIST STATEMENT: SCULPTURE

 

Along with my art, I like to present a clay pot I acquired on one of my travels. Upon inspection, it has an attractive look of simplicity, earthy wear, and age. It stands alone by these characteristics, yet when I inform you that it is at least 4000 years old, this simple vessel takes on much new meaning. It has a history which we can only ponder. It reflects mystery and adventure, stirring the imagination. This pot has added intrinsic value through its story.

 

Since childhood I have been fascinated by thoughts of adventure,pirates,buried treasure and secret hidden ceremonial objects. Along with this passion, I have been obsessed with the magnitude and visualization of large numbers. "How many grains of sand... miles, feet, inches to the sun?" By nature I am a fun and rebellious person. I poke fun at the rules and conventions of bureaucracy, establishment, society and the law.

 

The emphasis of my work is to add intrinsic value to visual-art objects through the use of knowledge, mystery, counting numbers, rebellion and humor. I even aim to improve the formal aspects through these non-visual entities, which radiate a powerful aura. Hopefully, I"ll excite the viewer's fascination with these ideas, rousing the fetishist in all of us. Through my cult objects one can share in their ritual power.

 

Ironically, the formal elements do not play a subordinate role to my conceptualism, in that they are the integral parts that make the piece conceptual. For example, I use repetition to instill a rythmic textured pattern, while simultaneously it constitutes the obsessive counting of large numbers.

 

The imperfection of my work not only reflects earth, wear and age, but it is a rebellion against slickness and polish. Conversely, my sense of detail rebels against non-craft. As a painting major, my sculptural forms rebelled against departmental division in art school; however my work is not about sculpture. I use direct, clear and humorous idiosyncratic concepts. They rebel against art that tries to hard to be serious with profundity that lacks depth.

 

Through my art, I incite reactions of laughter, surprise and intrigue. I want my icon-like conversation pieces to radiate an aura which allows the viewer to participate in the magic they possess.