Immigrant; 2017; 8 inches x 8 inches; mixed media on panel
Deacon Samuel Chapin emigrated from England to Massachusetts in 1635. He was a Puritan escaping the tyranny of the Church of England. At 9 generations removed, he is my oldest direct immigrant ancestor. He was among the founding fathers of the city of Springfield, and helped push the Native Americans off their ancestral lands in western Massachusetts.
Metacomet, known as "King Phillip" , was a chief of the Wampanoags, Native American residents of western Massachusetts. He is most famous for successfully attacking the city of Springfield in 1675 and burning the city to the ground in what is known as "King Phillips War".
In this work I utilize bronze statues of the Native/Immigrant as cardboard cutout representatives of their different "peoples". I give both of them gold coronas as they are both idealized as symbols of larger, current issues. The icons that come between them are powerful symbols of each others culture: similar, yet with completely different meanings. This is one lens through which I see the immigration issue.
Metacomet, known as "King Phillip" , was a chief of the Wampanoags, Native American residents of western Massachusetts. He is most famous for successfully attacking the city of Springfield in 1675 and burning the city to the ground in what is known as "King Phillips War".
In this work I utilize bronze statues of the Native/Immigrant as cardboard cutout representatives of their different "peoples". I give both of them gold coronas as they are both idealized as symbols of larger, current issues. The icons that come between them are powerful symbols of each others culture: similar, yet with completely different meanings. This is one lens through which I see the immigration issue.
