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Cell Division

2018 Competition entry

Kara Schoeman

Details:
Signed
Aluminium, wild olive wood, polyester resin
40 cm x 40 cm x 23 cm

Description:

When problems occur during the process of cell division, chromosome abnormalities might take place.  If a fetus develops in the womb with an extra chromosome, or one too few, then this person will be born with a physical, mental or psychological developmental disorder.  The effect of the one abnormal chromosome will affect this person for the rest of his life, others might view him as different from his peers and have strong opinions about him.  Minnaar (2007) explains the importance of noting that being different does not imply being right or wrong, better or worse, it only means being different.

When the artist goes through the creative process of making art, he might want a specific outcome.  Similarly to the process of cell division, something might happen in the creative process that the artist does not intend to happen.  This process will lead to a different outcome than the artist expected.  It is frequently this accidental creation that speaks profoundly to the spectator who views the art.  This artist needs to accept this outcome in order to place the artwork in the vulnerable position to be viewed by others and then anticipate the spectator’s opinions. 

The wood in the center of the aluminium resembles the cell division process and creative process.  The black resin resembles the safe womb where we think the cell division is protected from outside influences.  This resembles life and the people around us.  It resembles the courage of the person born with a chromosome abnormality, and their tolerance of hearing and seeing the response that people and the environment have on them.  This is similar to the artist’s courage to expose the artwork to the public eye while awaiting the response of the viewers.