Andrea Morganstern

A central theme in my work is the interconnectivity between all things in nature - organic and inorganic, plant, animal and human.  My work also draws from a deep connection I feel with the art of ancient cultures, e.g. Egyptian, Pre-Columbian, and Hindu. I'm intrigued by how art in the ancient past was used as a way to connect with otherworldly realms and to represent
beings that dwelled there. I experience the creation of my work as playing in this ancient tradition of making objects that represent such otherworldly beings or deities, and in the process, am allowing my own mythology to emerge along with suggested narratives.

For many years, I explored these themes with oil painting.  Recently however, I began to further develop the ideas with the use of a multi-phase process that combines digital photography and sculpture. I start by creating a sculpture that contains some combination of animal, human and botanical elements, using a wide range of materials that includes different types of clay, polyurethane resin and acrylic paint. I then photograph the sculpture in a natural environment, incorporating various elements of the landscape into the composition and narrative, working with seasonal variations,
different terrains, and various objects that nature provides, such as branches, acorns, fallen leaves, etc. Locations have included the woods of rural Connecticut and the mountains of upstate New York.

Travel has served as a tremendous inspiration in the creation of my work. I was profoundly inspired by a trip I took in 2006 to South India, where I visited temple complexes with extraordinary carvings and sculptures. I was especially moved by the co-existence of animal deities depicted in the sculptures and live animals, such as cows and monkeys, roaming around the temple grounds. This juxtaposition gave me the sense that the scenes depicted in the sculptures were still being played out around me in the present.

Important contemporary influences on my work include Ana Mendieta and Andy Goldsworthy and their collaborations with nature. I am also inspired by the whimsical quality of Tom Otterness' work as well as Charles Simmonds' sculptures reminiscent of Native American cliff dwellings.