Silent Messengers: Hoodoos II
1:14 am
Silent Messengers: Hoodoos II
Inkjet & collagraph on paper, inkjet on clear mylar layer
91.5 x 58.3 cm.
Please see Silent Messengers: Hoodoos I for more information about this series.
1:14 am in Printworks, Silent Messengers by Marja-Leena
Silent Messengers: Hoodoos II
Inkjet & collagraph on paper, inkjet on clear mylar layer
91.5 x 58.3 cm.
Please see Silent Messengers: Hoodoos I for more information about this series.
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12:05 am in Being an Artist, Finland, Estonia & Finno-Ugric, Recent Exhibitions, Silent Messengers by Marja-Leena
Installation of Silent Messengers: Hoodoos I to V (left to right)
Artist’s Exhibition Statement
For some years now, my work has been informed by and engaged with the contrasts and tension between connections in the ancient marks made by early humans, (particularly in the areas of my ethnic roots in northern Europe), in Nature’s own mark-making and shape-making (such as the Hoodoos), and in my own use, as a modern human, of new technologies in image making.
The “Silent Messengers” series of prints are the most recent works, the culmination of experiments and research into combining traditional and digital printmaking techniques on paper and mylar as evidenced in the “Nexus” prints also shown here. I have desired to exploit the effect of layering transparent materials to embody a concept of time and continuity of humans and nature.
Referencing ancient rock art in a modern way is my way of acknowledging this long thread of connection with those humans and artists of long ago.
Much of my research is by way of the internet and books, virtual travel in the comfort of my chair. One of many inspiring researchers for me has been Pekka Kivikäs, a keen documenter and author of books on Finnish rock art aimed at readers interested in the ancient culture of Finno-Ugric regions. Kivikäs considers rock art “the silent message of man from behind the thousands of years”. Recently rereading about him and his work, I was struck by that phrase, considering that my current print series is titled “Silent Messengers”.
Silent Messengers
Studio Art Gallery at Capilano College
North Vancouver, BC, Canada
November 16th – December 7th, 2005
Note: In the archives under PrintWorks – Silent Messengers, you may view closer photos of Silent Messengers: Hoodoos I, Silent Messengers: Hoodoos II and Silent Messengers: Hoodoos III. Proper photos of Hoodoos IV and V will be posted later when I’ve taken slides of all the latest new work.
9:55 am in Printworks, Silent Messengers by Marja-Leena
Silent Messengers: Hoodoos III
Inkjet & collagraph on paper, inkjet on clear mylar layer
91.5 x 58.3 cm.
Please see Silent Messengers: Hoodoos I for more information about this series.
1:33 am in Printworks, Silent Messengers by Marja-Leena
Silent Messengers: Hoodoos I
Inkjet & collagraph on paper, inkjet on clear mylar layer
91.5 x 58.3 cm.
The two layers are attached together with three small grommets at top, allowing layers to hang loosely and without frames. Note some reflection off the clear shiny mylar.
This is the first in my new “Silent Messengers” series of prints, the culmination of two years of experiments and research into combining traditional and digital printmaking techniques on paper and mylar. My explorations into materials suitable for layering will continue in order to exploit the effect of layering transparent materials to embody a concept of time.
This inquiry is informed by and engaged with the contrasts and tension between connections in the ancient marks made by early humans, (particularly in the areas of my ethnic roots in northern Europe), in Nature’s own mark-making and shape-making (such as the Hoodoos), and in modern human’s use of new technologies in image making.
11:34 am in Printworks, Silent Messengers by Marja-Leena
Silent Messengers: Hoodoos V
Inkjet & collagraph on paper, inkjet on clear mylar layer
91.5 x 58.3 cm.
Please read my Artist’s Statement.
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10:05 am in Printworks, Silent Messengers by Marja-Leena
Silent Messengers: Hoodoos IV
Inkjet & collagraph on paper, inkjet on clear mylar layer
91.5 x 58.3 cm.
Please read my Artist’s Statement.
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4:15 pm in Printworks, Silent Messengers by Marja-Leena
detail – Silent Messengers: Hoodoos III
The photos of the first ten printworks from the Silent Messengers series have now been completely uploaded here, including the updates of Silent Messengers: Hoodoos I to III. To view these and other works just visit “PrintWorks” over near the top of the left bar and click on the series you’d like to view. I hope you enjoy them.
UPDATE 2012: The whole series may also be seen in the new GALLERY
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2:04 pm in Being an Artist, Photoworks, Rock Art & Archaeology, Rocks by Marja-Leena
Hoodoos near Drumheller 1999
We have been planning a short driving holiday through the Rockies into southern Alberta, visiting friends along the way in BC and Red Deer, Alberta. Our ultimate destination, Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park is a place I’ve been wanting to visit for some time. I want to photograph the hoodoos and petroglyphs for my continuing Silent Messengers series.
On a visit to Red Deer in 1999, our good friends took us to see the Hoodoos and the Royal Tyrrell Museum near Drumheller. They were so inspiring that some of those images eventually went into a few of my Nexus series, such as Nexus II and again recently in the first three Silent Messengers.
Some time in the 70’s we first drove through the Alberta “badlands” on the way to northern Saskatchewan, unfortunately in too much of a hurry to stop for photos, but that sight left a lasting impression. Much later, during Expo 86 in Vancouver, that memory was vividly revived by an outstanding Imax 3D film called “The Last Buffalo” by Stephen Low, set in those same badlands. It features the creation of a sculpture, so the artistic theme appealed too; I’ve seen it twice and recommend it highly.
In fact, Tom Montag and I had an email conversation a while ago about the Alberta hoodoos which he’s visited “twice in this lifetime”. Tom said: “I think the hoo-doos at Writing on Stone are more personal; they speak right to you. I think the hoo-doos at Drumheller are more impersonal; they’ll talk to anyone…. if you get what I mean?” Having nothing else better to compare them to at the time, the Drumheller hoodoos still spoke very powerfully to me!
So, we have been looking forward to revisiting some of these unique areas as well as to our first visit to Writing-on-Stone. However, a week ago we heard from reports in news media and friends that there was flooding in this normally arid southern Alberta, and that the Park was closed due to washed out roads. Now we’ve learned that central areas of Alberta are experiencing severe flooding and travel is not advised. I feel empathy for the suffering Albertans, and very sad and disappointed that we’ve had to cancel our exciting trip. Hopefully we can make it later this summer – I really need to add to my image library!
6:27 pm in Being an Artist, Folk Legends & Myths, Photoworks, Rock Art & Archaeology, Rocks by Marja-Leena
Hoodoos near Drumheller – photo by Marja-Leena
A few days ago I found Anita Konkka’s fascinating writer’s dairy. I quickly became absorbed reading the beautifully written entries, in a Finnish that I was able to understand and enjoy easily. (I’ve sometimes been frustrated not understanding today’s slang used by many Finnish bloggers.)
Anita Konkka is the author of many novels, essays, radio-plays, and a dream-book. Some of her novels address the question of Ingrian identity because of her father’s roots (the Ingrian Finns are from around St. Petersburg). Other novels are richly informed by dream studies and diverse cultural mythologies. An English translation of “In the Fool’s Paradise” is forthcoming (Dalkey Archive Press, 2006) which I will definitely look for in the North American market. I must try to get some of her Finnish books in the meantime! English readers will enjoy Anita’s excerpts of her writings at her literary website.
Attracted by her interest in dreams, myths and culture, including that of Russia, I emailed her and was very pleasantly surprised to receive a nice reply. Anita expressed fascination for the hoodoos in my “Silent Messengers” prints and had several good questions, which I think might interest my regular readers too.
What are hoodoos? These are geological formations of weathered rock in columnar or pillar forms and sometimes with caps. The Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park website has a good explanation as does Wikipedia.
Do the hoodoos have native petroglyphs or pictographs? “For hundred of years, the Blackfoot people visited this valley and believed that this amazing place was sacred and the home of spirits. Although it is rare for rock art to be found on hoodoos, there are both pictographs and petroglyphs upon the sandstone cliffs along the Milk River” in Writing on Stone Provincial Park. This is why I am still planning to visit these sites.
Is “hoodoo” an aboriginal word? This question stumped me as I’d not seen anything about its etymology. Googling found another writer, this time Canadian Bill Casselman, a broadcaster and the author of many books on Canadian words, sayings and names. He wrote an interesting story behind the word “hoodoo” and how it has nothing to do with “voodoo” as others have claimed. Here’s an excerpt:
“American aboriginal peoples of the northwest picked up the word hoodoo from English-speaking fur trappers and, like them, used hoodoo to refer to any malignant creature or evil supernatural force. That’s how it came to be applied to the curious columns of earth or rock. For they were thought to be evil in the mythologies of many first peoples. But, borrowing works in the other direction as well. For example, in Siksika (Blackfoot) mythology, the strange hoodooesque shapes were giants whom the Great Spirit had turned to stone because of their evil deeds. Deep in the night, the petrified giants could awaken and throw boulders down upon any humans passing nearby.”
No wonder hoodoos are such an attraction to artists and writers! Thanks to new virtual friend, Anita, for the great questions!
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8:51 pm in Being an Artist, Photography, Recent Exhibitions by Marja-Leena
Installation photo of Silent Messengers: Connecting with D’Amico #1-5 (left to right)
Well, I’ve spent many hours getting intimate with the digital camera and an external flash trying to get some decent installation photos of my work. As I’m no expert with the finer points of this technology, it’s been rather frustrating. The conditions in the gallery are difficult to overcome with its different types of lights, bright spots, dark spots, a ceiling that is grey and textured that won’t reflect a bounce flash, and the art work that has a shiny mylar layer. The colours keep coming up wrong, such as the walls which are really a greyish white in real life. So, I’ve resigned myself to offering this pitiful photo of the group of prints called Silent Messengers: Connecting with D’Amico #1-5 in addition to the other one I posted recently.
As I’ve mentioned before, artist Karen D’Amico** of London, UK, and I met and corresponded through our respective artist blogs. She mailed me about a dozen close-ups of rocks that she had photographed. Karen offered these to me to use in my work as I wished. I chose five of them to create Silent Messengers: Connecting with D’Amico #1-5. Thus it became “a borderless collaboration of sorts”, as Karen commented.
I am going to arrange a photo session in the audiovisual centre of the library with proper lights and a high-end digital camera, maybe with a polarizing filter, to take proper photos of each of the new works. Usually I take slides with a regular camera, but more and more galleries are finally accepting digital images on CDs. It will save the step of scanning slides when I need digital files, like for this blog.
All going well, these will get posted here soon and archived in my portfolio under Printworks at the top left. (Then you will get a better look though never as good as the real thing!) If you haven’t already seen them, check out the first three Silent Messengers there. The last ten Nexus series prints, some of which were the first experiments with layering and with full digital printmaking, are also in the show. These are rather scattered in the Nexus portfolio, having been posted in the infancy of my blog.
** Reedited March 15th, 2013: Karen has not been at this blog address for some years, so link has been removed. I have now quite accidentally found her new eponymous website: Karen Ay
© Marja-Leena Rathje 2004-2024