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The New Contemporary Art Magazine
In using animal remains to create something new, Jason Borders' intricate work reminds us of the cyclical nature of life. First featured here on our blog, Borders has always been inspired by nature and always collected bones, but it wasn't until recently that he began to use them as an art medium. He once said that he likes to think of these sculptural pieces as characters, ornately carved bones, antlers and skulls which are designed on the spur of the moment in his Portland, Oregon based studio.
America, supposedly the land of freedom and democracy, has become incarceration nation. Almost one out of every hundred Americans is now in prison, the largest percentage of any developed country in the world. Artist Gil Batle was born in the Philippines, but he spent over 20 years of his life in the prisons of California. One would think that prison is punishment enough, but as Batle discovered, inmates also face violence, humiliation, and racial segregation. His saving grace was his ability to draw.
Canadian artist Shane Wilson draws his inspiration from the nature surrounding him in north Ontario. In his artist statement, he writes, "I live through my hands and tools: transforming thick, heavy bone and bronze, meant for massive collisions, into ethereal, otherworldly creations; precious oases in the midst of life." Sourced ethically, his ornate carvings into animal antlers, particularly moose, are unreal. They balance the beauty of the animal with the severity and aggressive nature of the antlers' former life. With careful workmanship, Wilson summons tiny, peaceful scenes of Canada's wilderness, such as Grizzly bears fishing and wolves howling in the night.
Jason Borders's carved animal skulls are morbidly fascinating. While the ornate, lace-like patterns he engraves into the bone draw viewers in with their beauty, it's easy to become repulsed when you truly think about the origins of his materials. "A large part of what I do involves a familiarization with death," he says. "My belief is that, as painful as it can be, looking directly at death helps you to live your life with intent and purpose." While, in Western culture, we tend to remove death as far away from ourselves as possible, perhaps a more holistic way of thinking about it is to view it as part of our existence. In using animal remains to create something new, Borders' work reminds viewers of the cyclical nature of life.