Séance

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Séance by Valerie Hammond is a relief printed lithograph on handmade Kozo paper. In her artistic process, Hammond uses not only traditional materials like wax, thread, and paint, but also natural objects, like the ferns and leaves, which can be seen in this composition.1

Hammond’s artistic process actually begins with the collection of these found, outdoor objects, which she transfers into her work through drawing and printmaking. Through this process, she is able to create images like the one seen here, where the ferns and vines feel physically connected to the human body.2

Another component of Hammond’s process is that she enjoys listening to audiobooks while she works. In particular, she has named Siddharta Mukherjee’s The Gene: An Intimate History, as an inspiring novel that “puts her in the mind of chimeras” while creating her works.3

What she refers to when she says “chimeras,” are mutant or genetically blended creatures that have mixed features and functions.4 The influence of these creatures seems to be quite prominent in Séance, where vines seem to spring up and out from the human body and grow toward the top of the composition.

I want to draw your attention to how the hands are placed. What movements can you decipher from their positioning? I see hands that seem to be digging into the soil, making me think of gardening and it’s life-giving qualities, but also of burial and the inevitability of returning to the earth.

This expressive position or movement of body parts is an important influence for Hammond, and she has revealed that gestures seen in Asian art, such as Tibetan medical drawings and Buddhist sculptures, are especially influential for her.5

This reference to religion and the positioning of hands, makes me wonder if Hammond is alluding here to a connection between religion, the body, and the natural world or, possibly, as the title Séance might suggest, a connection to another more ghostly realm.

If you’re interested in seeing more work by Hammond, see the work Traverse, also on the first floor of Schaffer Library.

 - Mallory Schultz, Art Collections & Exhibitions Fellow 2019 - 2020

[1] Julie Lohnes, On Being, (Schenectady, NY: On Being Exhibition Brochure, 2014).
[2] Cue Art Foundation, Valerie Hammond: Curated by Kiki Smith, (New York City, NY: Valerie Hammond Exhibition Catalogue, 2006).
[3] Amy Lilly, “Art Review: Valerie Hammond and Kiki Smith, Helen Day Art Center,” Seven Days, October 3, 2018, https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/art-review-valerie-hammond-and-kiki-smith-helen-day-art-center/Content?oid=21244929. 
[4] “Chimera,” Merriam Webster, June 1, 2020 accessed,  https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chimera.
[5] Cue Art Foundation, Valerie Hammond: Curated by Kiki Smith, (New York City, NY: Valerie Hammond Exhibition Catalogue, 2006).
 

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