I am an admitted mass collector. I frequently find beauty in objects of the most mundane and mostly from Goodwill. I compulsively pick up or purchase items, trashed and looked over by others. Eventually these objects become little descriptive words in my visual encyclopedia and find themselves on display in the micro world of my apartment. Each with intent, their display is meant to describe a piece of my conscious life, a word in my narrative and part of my personal story to the visitor or guest.  After their arrangement I find myself revisiting these objects in an almost obsessive way. It is through this action that I develop a connection which implies a sense of history and importance to things which ultimately have no consequence in my life.

And so I ask, What happens when we experience one object over and over? Carry it with us, touch it, love it and implant our energy within it? How does that object evolve? Does that object become monumental, powerful and dare I say, spiritual?

In the work of Jenna Kuiper we revisit the same object 17 times. In this experience I can almost feel the crystal rolling over between my fingers. Hidden within a pocket, a secret of spirituality as it becomes a deity. In her visual description, Jenna gives us ownership of this crystal. However, this gift of ownership brings with it at times, the almost uncomfortable obligation of knowing.

–Liz McDonald, Visual Arts Editor

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17 Stones
Instillation