Bob Park Artist Statement

"The body is the medium of experience and the instrument of action. Through its actions we shape and organize our experiences and distinguish our perceptions of the outside world from the sensations that arise within the body itself. Material objects are called into existence by the fact that we can walk around them, get different views of them and eventually arrive at the conclusion that they exist independently of our own experience of them."

If I were to name the most important tool at my disposal, I would have to name my body as that tool. As a sculptor I am constantly aware of the condition of my body. Every ache and pain I may suffer determines if I can work in the studio on any given day. In many ways I experience art through the physicality of an object in relation to my body. How is my body diminished in relation to the art, or is my body looming over the piece or is there a dialogue that occurs between the object and myself. If an object has a life that is independent of the viewer, then it must also affect each viewer uniquely because no two people are exactly the same.

One of the issues I investigate is the language of the vessel. The term vessel can refer to a simple vase or it can invoke a metaphor for the human body. I create vessel forms that contain a narrative. These may include references to alchemy, organs, body parts and skin. Ultimately it’s my goal to create forms that will open up a dialogue between the object and the viewer visually as well as physically.