Lindsey Rhoads BFA Sculpture Thesis Spring 2021
Obedience
I create in the physical realm. Tangible, textured objects that can be felt both physically and mentally. As a sculptor, the tangibility of objects is very important to me. With this work I wanted the objects to be felt by the viewer in an emotional way rather than physically. This work explores my time in the Jehovah’s Witness Cult and the long lasting effects they have had on my life as well as using the creation of art to come to terms with the reality of the trauma I have repressed.
This collection delves into the pain, trauma and isolation I felt during my time in the cult, as well as the ways I dealt with those things. A beautiful perfume bottle turned weapon, a childhood mobile really a hypnotic tool of indoctrination; these things and others make up my work. These series’ of contradictions and objects that are not what they seem were created with intentions of searching for understanding. I am bringing the viewer into my mind and my past as a way to let go of it. In truth, this collection is a way for me to heal and move past my traumas while sharing how those things made me who I am today.