Alexis Lee Daniels

As a mixed media artist, I tend to explore both the functional and conceptual qualities of materials and found objects throughout my pieces. For example, the use of clay in my work addresses the long history and tradition of the material used for functional objects (clay pots), but also as a material of the future (ceramic tiles on NASA’s Space Shuttle), or purely for art’s sake. For a seemingly simple organic material, clay has played quite a role in human history. All materials, natural or human-made, have their own unique history. I am interested in how humans have utilized natural materials for evolutionary and industrial purposes: from the wood utilized for framing the houses in which we live to the metal sourced for the cars we drive, to the various elements mined for our electronic devices. Many “Man-made” products often mimic nature because, in part, they are natural. “Nature always contains and offers the prime matter for technology….” (Jean-Luc Nancy) The sculpture, Industrial Revolution, simultaneously represents the unique qualities of an industrial-made object, while maintaining the form of a natural shrub, plant or tree, showing the delicate balance of the two and their mutual dependence. Architects and designers have long used biomimetic designs, i.e., “the imitation of the models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex human problems.” (Julian Vincent).

Through my work, I expect to further explore the functional qualities of everyday objects and materials and recreate them in interesting and provocative ways. Ultimately, I leave my work open to interpretation, as we all have our own unique experiences in this modern society. I hope to invite the viewer to engage in a conversation about our future on this planet.

Industrial Revolution; metal, paper, glue and spray paint