Nadja Sayej

The Three Worst Episodes
ArtStars*
February 12 – February 27, 2010

Opening party: Friday, February 12, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

ArtStars* can barge into galleries and do the interviews, but when double-dared into a gallery show, can they fill the white box?
http://artstarstv.com

Barbara Hobot - guest artist

He That Makes Himself a Sheep
from January 27 - February 13, 2010

He That Makes Himself a Sheep is a sculpture that intertwines sheepskin with lumberjack workwear.  The collision of fur and clothing depicts the transformation of a man into a sheep.  This part-animal-part-human mutation culminates in a pair of gilded cloven hooves that reach to the heavens, clawing their way out of their circumstance.  Invited as a guest artist, Hobot created this new work for the gallery’s outdoor courtyard. The nine-foot tall sculpture is a season specific piece, intended to be surrounded by the stifling presence of snow (currently, the piece is showing indoors while we wait for a winter storm). 

Although named after the Italian proverb that states, “he that makes himself a sheep shall be eaten by the wolf”, Hobot’s sculpture suggests an alternative fate for the shapeshifting protagonist.  Her imagined destiny is not one of destruction, but rather one of escape, or the transition into an afterlife.  The piece explores the potential for transformation through pain and suffering, while it also contradicts traditional notions of power structures between man and animal, mortal and immortal.

Barbara’s sculptures and installations investigate the theme of predator and prey, looking specifically to redefine the role of the victim.  Her work is influenced by such things as hunting regalia, religious Baroque iconography, and animals that sit lower on the food chain.  She holds a B.A. in Fine Arts from the University of Waterloo.  Upcoming exhibitions include a spring show with her collaborative partner, Patrick Cull, at Ross Creek Centre for the Arts in Canning, Nova Scotia.
www.barbarahobot.com