Wood Carving
Broken pieces as spores for new possibilities
I started with a simple idea: Could wood carving connect me to my ancestors? And if so, could it give my life a greater sense of purpose and reveal something fruitful about my thesis?
During the summer research period, I became increasingly interested in my self-location and the history that makes me who I am. A moment that shifted how I thought about my history came from visiting my partner in Mexico City. She was a great tour guide and knowledgeable about the history. As we visited different historical sites, exploring the tapstry of legacy and culture, one idea that revealed itself to me was “my history doesn’t start with myself”. During my interim thesis presentation, when I talked about my background I only mentioned being born in Edmonton. However, saying so is disingenuous to my lineage and to myself. I don’t make sense— without first talking about where my parents were born. Although I was born in Canada, I was raised by Nigerians. Therefore, a lot of my perspective is shaped by their worldviews which was shaped by the places they were previous. If you continue the train of thought it only makes sense that my ancestry and lineage should play a central role in the way I position myself.
When I got back from the trip I started to learn more about Nigeria’s history which led me to discover the Nok culture. The Nok Culture was one of the earliest societies (500 B.C.E - 200 CE) in Western Africa and were especially known for their advent in iron technology and skill for sculpting.
I instantly looked for a knife and some wood to carve after finding that out, I didn’t realize their was sculptor in my blood.
The Nok were one of the earliest iron-working societies from western Africa, but they are also known for their pottery
~ National Geographic Society ~
My Carvings and Carving Tools
When I met with my thesis supervisor, he independently noticed that the way I work is “reductive” and I try to widdle down an idea or sculpt a space to remain with its essence. Since this prompt wanted us to break down and step back from our thesis to get a outside view, I felt by engaging in the act of wood carving I could glean insights about the next steps in my work.
The four insights I gleaned from engaging in a carving practice were:
Wood Grain - Through grasping the idea of wood grain and that carving in direction can produce different results in the wood I became more open to the idea of flexibility— being open to new angles and approaches.
Broken pieces as spores for new possibilities - when pieces broke off my carvings, instead of seeing it as a failure I understood as an opportunity for a new beginning.
Environment - The material characteristics of the wood changed depending which environment where I found it in. Therefore, the environment dictated what I needed to do and how I would approach my task.
Not needing to go pro- I can engage with a craft intently without needing the pressure of becoming a professional at it.
The aspect I liked most about this prompt was the liberty I felt being able to engage in a craft without needing to become a professional. Thinking about the program as a whole, one of the outcomes I am grateful for is the reconnection with my inner child. Growing up, I remember being more flexible in the way I was able to pick up and drop interests. I had a spirit of trying something new, embodying it and eventually being able to let it go— allowing my soul to lead my interests.
New Brighton Park
Now that I am older, I recognize the value in sticking to a singular thing and developing yourself in that over time. And I also think and feel there is value in taking a surveyed approach to life. For instance, as a curator, through the application of my embodied autoethnographic research methodology, I see the potential and value in being able to engage in many different crafts to gain a lived understanding. I see my strength coming from not the act of doing a specific thing but being able to make connections over a range of things. I don’t necessarily need myself to be a musician or sculptor or painter all the time—even though I apply myself to each discipline in various degrees. What I can attest to is that through engaging with these different art forms and putting on these different masks, I have come to gain a greater appreciation of them.
A quote that keeps coming back to me and what feels even more relevant now,
“what is the job and what is the work that needs to be done.”
~The four mountains (collaboration with Cree elder John Crier)
TS;NL (Too Short; Need Long)
Audio recap of thoughts
