{"id":4979,"date":"2014-08-01T14:01:15","date_gmt":"2014-08-01T18:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/?p=4979"},"modified":"2015-10-15T19:01:56","modified_gmt":"2015-10-15T23:01:56","slug":"artist-loren-crabbe-discusses-abjection-trauma-and-the-human-body","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/artist-loren-crabbe-discusses-abjection-trauma-and-the-human-body\/","title":{"rendered":"Artist Loren Crabbe Discusses Abjection, Trauma, and the Human Body"},"content":{"rendered":"

Author | Annie Malamet | Visual Arts Editor<\/p>\n

Interview with Loren Crabbe<\/a><\/h4>\n

“I strive to incorporate surrealistic elements from these concepts within my own ideas of abjection to approach the viewer with a full-\u00adbodied multimedia experience.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

AM: Can you speak more about your interest in the human body as a vehicle for your aesthetic\/message?<\/strong><\/p>\n

LC: My artwork serves as a visual representation of my journey in attaining physical and mental strength. After having persevered through physical hardship and mental abuse, each piece I create becomes a record of the human condition and abandonment of weakness and trauma. I am interested in how the human body can both physically and mentally react to adverse scenarios. As a young woman I was heavily involved in Martial arts and strenuously physical art that occupied all of my free time. My world was isolated and revolved around my own physical ability and what freedoms it had to offer me. It was during these formative years that I began to understand the body\u2019s limitations and capabilities.<\/p>\n

I currently create and perform in order to connect with a public audience, to engage with the viewers\u2019 emotions and relate my physical experiences to theirs. Whether it is through physically or mentally demanding exercises, the work I create comes back to pursuing one\u2019s true human potential.<\/p>\n

\"LCS_RESTRICTION4\"<\/a>
From the series “Restriction”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

AM: You are very interested in trauma and the limits of the human body. How do you think these things inform your artistic process?<\/strong><\/p>\n

LC: After enduring a life altering auto accident that resulted in short term paralysis, I gained a newfound appreciation for my mind and body. While immobile, I spent endless hours analyzing and unfolding the true meaning of the mind body connection. By delving deeper into psychogenesis and the power of mind control in order to rehabilitate myself from injury, I overcame paralysis through physical and mental training. The traumatic and limiting experience I endured made me realize the importance of oneself within their art. It became very clear that I was going to become the ultimate tool and resource within my making. My artistic process has, since then, become a reflection of my current and past human condition.<\/p>\n

AM: I would say that the act of creating the work is just as important to you as the final product. Would you\u00a0agree with this statement\/would you add to this?<\/strong><\/p>\n

LC: The process and act of making is a main component in creating my work. The interaction I have\u00a0with material during the process of production is instrumental in shaping the final product. The processes\u00a0that I utilize, such as metalsmithing and papermaking, are extremely labor intensive and time extensive.\u00a0These hands \u00adon techniques possess a meditative quality that connects me to my materials and allows me\u00a0to hone in on my skills and techniques.<\/p>\n

RESTRICTION is a long durational performance video that highlights the importance of process in my practice. The duration of the video is dependent on my own personal perseverance both mentally and physically throughout the performance. The videos vary in length due to the differing levels of pain caused by each pose. Accompanying the final video performances is a self\u00addocument made to highlight my interaction with papermaking. In the restriction performance, a 40×60\u00adinch piece of wet handmade abaca paper is draped over my body and left to dry and shrink, cocooning my form. The process video provides the viewer with a look into the labor involved with pulling each sheet of paper, accentuating the initial objective.<\/p>\n

The unpredictable journey traveled from the start of a concept to the final result of a project is\u00a0constantly evolving. By personally experiencing the phases of making, I build a strong relationship with each piece of work. I find that the most interesting part of creating lies within the process, rather than the product.<\/span><\/p>\n

Below is\u00a0RESTRICTION 1*<\/a>\u00a0and RESTRICTION 2<\/a>\u00a0from\u00a0LOREN CRABBE<\/a>\u00a0(visit website for more):\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n