In my current work I use books as a metaphor of memory, (see life at home gallery). Like memory, books embody our thoughts, ideas and experiences. In addition, books are not always understood and valued for what they contain. They can be read as subversive, dangerous, and judged based on superficial appearance. In this work I burn locally found and abandoned books. The burning process transforms the books into inseparable ash. The ash is then contained inside reliquaries to never again be individually distinguished, separated, abandoned or scattered. It is my intent to evoke issues of purity, segregation, contamination and loss. The book ash consists of library catalogue cards, scripture, literature, and an entire encyclopedia collection. The books were found along curb side in dumpsters, felled heaps, and stuffed inside boxes. The found condition of the books suggests neglect, ignorance, mistreatment, and abuse. The books apparently were without value as evidenced by the previous owners handling of them. The materials and forms used to compose the sculpture are diverse and abstract, reminiscent of the book subjects and are crafted with a finished level of refinement that cultivates an atmosphere of respect, value and importance. The scale of the work is in relation to reliquaries used for human ash remains.
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