Sol Bailey Barker (B.1987)
In my artistic practice, I sculpt using both traditional and modern techniques to create works that seek to transcend their materials. Whether carved from wood or forged from steel, my sculptures serve as sacred vessels, acting as conduits to alternate realms.
Inspired by Shinto Buddhism, where reflective surfaces invite spiritual presence, I incorporate mirror-polished facets in my creations, allowing the intangible to manifest. Through a blend of physical labor and ritual gestures, I bring out the essence of the raw material, transforming it into vessels that invite the unseen.
In my research, I seek to uncover universal motifs, archetypes, and ceremonies that connect humanity across time and cultures. From the Tree of Life to the Great Flood, I explore the narratives that weave our collective consciousness. In sacred sites and museum galleries, I connect with these ancient relics, striving to distill their essence.
My creative process is rooted in childhood coma the disconnected from body and mind led to the importance of a dialogue between hand and mind where sculptures emerge as expressions of the subconscious.
In this space where the surreal meets the tangible, my sculptures resonate with a reality beyond waking consciousness. Through my work, I aim to bridge the gap between the tangible and the ineffable, bringing fragments of the unknown into the earthly realm. In the shared spaces of dreams and myths, we find unity in a collective existence, where boundaries dissolve in the embrace of shared reverie. I hope my art evokes our shared ancestry and kinship with the living cosmos.
