The Price of Oil $94.375
(How Many More?)
Maria Cristina Jadick
Artist Statement
The Price of Oil $94.375 (How Many More?,) is an ongoing mixed media installation. It was initially created for: “FOURTEEN," a 14 Women Artist Group Exhibition, Curated by Jim Hatchett at the Art Car Museum. It opened on the occasion of the tenth year anniversary of the 9/11/2001 terrorist attack in New York City. My piece is meant as both tribute and cautionary commentary.
The installation is comprised of photographs of soldiers who fell while serving their country in the Middle East from 2001 to the present day. The soldiers’ photographs, provided by an online military website, had been collected from family members for the purpose of honoring their loved one’s sacrifice.
The photographs are symmetrically arranged in straight-line rows covering the entire back wall, and continuing onto the floor, where they rest on a shallow layer of sand. The photographs are anchored by a trio of oil barrels, which are each topped with sand, a pair of used soldier's boots and a white, calla-lily silk flower. One of the oil barrels is set in the back left corner, another is set in the back right corner, with the third barrel sitting on the floor, centered amidst the photograph array. Lined up at the very front of the photographic array sits a straight row of small, white, flickering memorial ritual candles. In the center of the candle row rests one lone pair of soldier's boots beside a few white, cala-lily silk flowers. Suspended and centered above the 12ft X 11ft photograph floor array, is a mannequin dressed in a used uniform that is covered with sewn cloth name tags representative of soldiers from various military service branches.
This tableau simultaneously evokes opposing perspectives. It makes metaphoric associations and poses questions; providing a framework, and launching pad from which unrestrained conversations about U.S. foreign policy may emerge. Where national conversation has increasingly become stymied by screaming extremes, the intent of this work is to honor the fallen and to foster a non-judgmental, non-threatening space for open, civil conversation about a controversial topic. Jadick refers to the process as: "enacting Democracy!
(How Many More?)
Maria Cristina Jadick
Artist Statement
The Price of Oil $94.375 (How Many More?,) is an ongoing mixed media installation. It was initially created for: “FOURTEEN," a 14 Women Artist Group Exhibition, Curated by Jim Hatchett at the Art Car Museum. It opened on the occasion of the tenth year anniversary of the 9/11/2001 terrorist attack in New York City. My piece is meant as both tribute and cautionary commentary.
The installation is comprised of photographs of soldiers who fell while serving their country in the Middle East from 2001 to the present day. The soldiers’ photographs, provided by an online military website, had been collected from family members for the purpose of honoring their loved one’s sacrifice.
The photographs are symmetrically arranged in straight-line rows covering the entire back wall, and continuing onto the floor, where they rest on a shallow layer of sand. The photographs are anchored by a trio of oil barrels, which are each topped with sand, a pair of used soldier's boots and a white, calla-lily silk flower. One of the oil barrels is set in the back left corner, another is set in the back right corner, with the third barrel sitting on the floor, centered amidst the photograph array. Lined up at the very front of the photographic array sits a straight row of small, white, flickering memorial ritual candles. In the center of the candle row rests one lone pair of soldier's boots beside a few white, cala-lily silk flowers. Suspended and centered above the 12ft X 11ft photograph floor array, is a mannequin dressed in a used uniform that is covered with sewn cloth name tags representative of soldiers from various military service branches.
This tableau simultaneously evokes opposing perspectives. It makes metaphoric associations and poses questions; providing a framework, and launching pad from which unrestrained conversations about U.S. foreign policy may emerge. Where national conversation has increasingly become stymied by screaming extremes, the intent of this work is to honor the fallen and to foster a non-judgmental, non-threatening space for open, civil conversation about a controversial topic. Jadick refers to the process as: "enacting Democracy!