ARTIST STATEMENT

Emily Gilbertson

Throughout my years, I have often desired finding old household objects and discovering new ways of using them. It is refreshing to come upon a naturally aged item and bring it back to life by recycling it in a way that enhances its overall form and character. Specifically, the antique wooden ironing board speaks to this purpose and serves as a domestic object sheltering the human form.

In my work, I suggest a new style of domesticity by displaying female figures reflecting days gone by. I would like to be mindful of the nature of the home in all its senses by attaching narrative elements that express appreciation for what used to be. Looking back, one can consider the difficult circumstances women endured in the household. Fortunately, times have changed, and in most cases, decisions are being made together in the home instead of commands being set forth.

An instinctive matrilineal metaphor is developed through memories passed down from grandmothers to mothers to daughters. The idea of nostalgic familiarities arise by drawing on interiors of the past. Those once valued moments such as gardening, cooking, reading, knitting, conversing, etc., have many times been forgotten. In my body of work, I have created new stories by remembering preceding years while living present activities.

In this Postmodern era, there has been a refocus on the home as both battleground and retreat, creating a range of nostalgic and familial scenes that question the very nature of domesticity itself. For some time there was an abandonment of the domestic realm in artwork. Today, however, many artists are approaching a common appreciation for that of the home and women in the past. Through reflection, I use nostalgic materials and overlapping mediums to construct stories revisited.